


What Starts in Vegas...

by MiaLyn



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, alternative universe, no powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-05-17 07:48:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14828300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaLyn/pseuds/MiaLyn
Summary: When Diana let Audrey drag her to Las Vegas in attempt to 'cheer her up', she did not expect to wake up face-to-face with a complete stranger.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing that crossed my mind. Enjoy!

**What Starts In Vegas…**

**Part 1**

Diana woke up with a hell of a headache. The blinds of the window hadn't been closed the previous night, letting an irate sunlight swamp the bedroom. Cursing under her breath, she buried herself deeper under the covers. Her temples were throbbing and for some reason her body arched in ways she hadn't felt before. She briefly wondered what kind of sickness she had caught to feel so out of sorts.

Something –or someone tugged at the covers –leaving her face to the mercy of the morning light again. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, she turned around, firmly decided to give a piece of her mind to whoever was annoying her –it had to be Shayera or Audrey, only they would be bold enough to tease her when was ill.

All hints of anger shifted into dreaded horror: a man she didn't know was sharing her bed. A complete stranger. A hot stranger she nuanced, as she took in the sharp angles of his face the dark tousled hair, the muscular shoulders and well defined abs. A stranger nonetheless. Sleeping in her bed in the nude –at least from the waist up, she wasn't about to check the bottom.

She suddenly realized she was equally undressed. And her thighs felt pretty sore…

_What have I done?_  she wondered, panic slowly itching in her veins.

She forced herself to calm down, breathe in and out deeply. No need to hyperventilate, it would not arrange matters. What to do now? Details she hadn't taken in before slowly sank in; she didn't recognize the bedroom walls –clean but impersonal, a TV set and instructions on a nightstand –a hotel room. She was in a hotel room with a stranger. Clothes were scattered on the floor –and the furniture too. She recognized the red dress Audrey had bought her during a shopping spree, the black lace she had indulged in last month…and black slacks, a white shirt, a black vest…

Diana slowly glanced back at the man. He was deep asleep, laying on his side, deeply lost to dreamland. She delicately removed her covers and stepped on the floor. She picked her discarded dress and quietly headed to the bathroom. It wasn't until she closed the door behind that she allowed herself to breathe…only to gawk again.

The bathroom was huge, with the biggest shower and Jacuzzi she had ever seen and a brown and golden wall. A fancy bathroom, she thought, and after considering a while, remembered the softness of the sheets and the comfy bed. What kind of hotel was she in? Was the man rich enough to afford such a room? Though she was a college student, her side job allowed her to earn enough for a passably good living…but not  _that_  kind of living.

She stared at her body in the mirror. If she had any doubt left about what had occurred with the man, they had now evaporated. Her chest, stomach, upper thighs were covered with bite-marks. A glint caught her eyes and she stared at her left hand. Her ring finger proudly bore a…ring. Silver, ornate with five small diamonds, very expensive-looking. A wedding ring?

_What the…?_

Diana closed her eyes, exhaled through her mouth.

_Think_ , she ordered herself.  _What do you remember?_

Not much, was the immediate answer. After a little more intense mind-racking –that provoked an even more disagreeable headache, she did remember she had accompanied Audrey to Las Vegas. The blonde party-girl had wanted to go all out for the weekend and much to her surprise, she was the only guest because –' _darling; you are my best friend and you need a distraction'_.

Distraction. The word had echoed in her mind the whole evening. Distraction from- d _on't think about it_ , she chided herself and kicked the picture of a grinning blonde man out of her mind.

Diana stared back at the ring. She had broken her engagement four days ago. Now, she had apparently gotten hitched with a complete stranger.  _And_  had spent the night with him.

If Audrey or Shayera ever heard of that, they would never let her live it down.

She decided to shove her troubles aside for the time being and turned on the shower. The warm water fell on her shoulders like a cascade and in spite of the situation, Diana smiled at the relief it brought. She ran her hand over her arms, shoulders and body. The path they created brought back the feeling of a larger hand on her skin…

_Nimble fingers unzipping the back…a tongue tracing the contours of her nipple…a heavy weight pinning her down…the stubble of an unshaven cheek against her inner thigh…the arch in her loins…the urge to cry out both in pain and pleasure as he filled-_

Diana immediately turned the shower off, shivering at the last flashback. How could she have let a complete stranger go this far when she and Steve-  _Don't go there_ , she censured herself again. No need to think of her fiancé – _ex-fiancé,_  she mentally corrected- right now. He was likely the reason why she had thrown herself into a stranger's arms. She dried herself, tied her wet hair in a high ponytail, knowing she did not want to stay long with the man. She ought to have the 'morning after' talk first, then she'd return to her room for the most discreet walk of shame in history and cross her fingers Audrey's party-girl tendencies had gotten the best of her and she wouldn't notice her absence.

Fortunately, or not, the man was awake, sitting on the bed and staring at her with confusion. Great, Diana thought, did he have no memory too?

"You are Diana Prince?" he inquired. His voice did a little something to her stomach and alright, maybe there was a reason why she had ended up here.

"Yes. You are?"

"You don't recognize me?" he asked, sounding bemused.

"Things are a little blurry up there," she replied evenly. "Give me another ten minutes or a cup of coffee, maybe it'll come back."

He snorted, shook his head. His bare chest distracted her for a moment, as she noted the red marks on his side that oddly looked like fingernail trails…

"Bruce Wayne," he introduced himself. Diana frowned; the name sounded somewhat familiar. "You really don't remember last night?"

"We obviously did something," Diana replied, somewhat sarcastically. She had left the ring in the bathroom and thought –thank god he didn't seem to have one. "I'm a bit hangover right now, it's a bit all of blur to me." For some reason, he looked a bit less tensed, as if she had reassured him about something. "Do  _you_  remember?"

He shrugged.

"More or less."

"More-more or more-less?"

An amused glint lightened his eyes.

"More-less."

"You don't remember either," she concluded.

"I don't," he confirmed meekly.

"Then how did you know my name?"

He reached for a stack of papers he had apparently hidden out of her view beforehand and held them out. Diana hesitated a moment, knowing that taking the papers meant stepping closer to the well-sculpted chest of a very handsome man while her head wasn't quite clear. Curiosity won over. She ignored his physical proximity the best she could –he smelt  _good_  dammit –and took them. Read the headline. Blinked twice.

"You have to be kidding me," she said, her voice a deeper octave that it should be.

A marriage contract. She was holding in her hands a marriage contract with her name as the wedded wife, and a Bruce Wayne as the wedded husband.

_What the_ hell _had she done now?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No longer a two-shots, I have a few more chapters in mind...  
> Please enjoy :)

**What Starts In Vegas…**

**2**

" _You look lonely."_

_Diana tore her eyes away from her glass and encountered the intense blue of one of the tallest men she had ever met. She frowned, annoyed that her time alone was so rudely interrupted._

" _I just learned my fiancée knocked up his supposedly platonic best girlfriend," she replied sourly. "I'm trying to drink myself into oblivion."_

_Nonplussed, he took the seat next to her._

" _I don't think you should punish yourself for something he did wrong," he said. His voice was deep and soft at the same time, and perhaps it was the alcohol but her heart skipped a beat._

" _I'm not punishing myself," she protested._

" _Your hangover tomorrow might contradict that statement."_

_Diana gave him the evil eye and ordered another drink, almost by defiance. She couldn't deny he was handsome in a rugged way; large and well-fit –the kind of man she would give an appreciative glance at. And right now, maybe she wouldn't mind a little flirting._

" _The name is Bruce," he introduced himself. At least he wasn't intimidated by her death glare. She decided she could smile back. Perhaps that good-looking guy could show her a good time-_

* * *

 

Diana blurted the words before her brain could fully process the information:

"How do we get an annulment?"

"I'm pretty sure we need to file a divorce," Bruce said, looking halfway resigned, halfway amused. "The marriage  _was_  consummated."

Oh dear, she thought, her heart thumping like mad, this was a nightmare.

"Hey, you need to breathe."

Diana jumped when a large, warm hand touched her shoulder. Bruce Wayne was currently sitting on the edge of the bed and the only thing covering his dignity was the flimsy drape threatening to fall off his thighs. Her cheeks flamed up and she looked away –for both her peace of mind and his privacy.

"Look, I'll go take a shower real quick and then we'll get breakfast," he offered. In response to her discomfort, he reached for the sheet and wrapped it around his waist. "Thinking on an empty stomach is no good and you look like you're about to faint."

"I don't wake up in strangers' bed very often," she pointed out dryly.

"You were pretty much upset yesterday night," he conceded. "But I don't bring unwilling women to my room."

Diana glared at him.

"I thought you said you didn't remember anything!" she accused.

Bruce shrugged.

"Not  _relevant_  things," he nuanced.

"Anything can be relevant," she shot back, annoyed.

He stared at her seriously, though the mischievous glint in his eyes should have warned her of his intention.

"Well, you really liked it when I-" And though there was no need to, he ended his sentence by whispering in her ear. Diana's cheeks flushed a deeper red.

"Right, not everything is relevant," she rapidly agreed in attempt to try to hide her embarrassment. The thought of him doing to her what he had just described gave a small flutter in her belly. "Where do we start?"

Bruce searched through the papers of the marriage contract and pointed at an address on the bottom.

"We were married by Elvis in a chapel across the street," he stated and pointed to another paper. "The invoice for the ring…I bought it in The Majestic. It's a fancy jewelry place two blocks from here."

Diana checked over his shoulder, curious about the price. Her eyes widened in shock.

"You have to be kidding me!" she blurted, and nearly snatched the offending paper out of his hands. "I could buy a car with that thing!"

"It's not that bad," he replied nonchalantly. Definitively a rich boy, she concluded. No wonder why he sounded relieved at her eagerness to erase their stupidity; had he thought she had trapped him into a marriage or something? "Breakfast first, then we figure out what to do. Good for you?"

Her stomach growled in agreement. Diana willed the earth to swallow her whole. Could this morning get any worse?

"Fine," she agreed.

After giving her a look that meant 'better stay here' he picked up his own clothes and locked himself in the bathroom. Diana all but let herself fall flat on the mattress. It was really comfy, she thought, and closed her eyes-

_-she giggled as he dropped kisses over her belly, moaned softly when he went lower._

" _Don't move," he chided. She made of show of biting her lips and froze appropriately. "Good girl."_

_His praise was followed by his moving lower and comfortably settling between her thighs, his cheek –covered with that late-night stubble –brushed her sensitive skin. He pressed his mouth to her midsection. She tensed, unused to the contact, and relaxed with a sigh._

" _Feels good," she mumbled, eyes closed to enjoy properly the burning sensation. Her hips jerked uncontrollably as she gasped. "_ Really _good."_

_His tongue was too busy to answer, but he hummed something –she felt the vibration on her core and-_

Diana's phone shrilled from her handbag. She reluctantly rolled over from the mattress and stumbled to pick up the device before the caller got to voicemail. There weren't many people who would call today and she braced herself for the high-pitched tone she was sure would shatter her eardrums:

" _Diana! Diana is that you?"_  Audrey's worried tone made her guilty for a split-second. Then she remembered the blonde had given her panic attacks before for vanishing in the middle of the night with a beau and decided this was payback.

"Yes Drey, it's me."

" _Oh Diana, thank god you're alright! Where are you darling? The receptionist of the hotel swore up and down you haven't returned to your room and you weren't answering when we knocked! I had to order security to open the door!"_

Diana cursed inwardly;  _now_  was the time for Audrey to worry?

"I'm…it's not important. Something came up and I can't join you right away."

A long pause ensued on the other end. Even if she couldn't see her, Diana could hear the wheels turning in Audrey's mind.

" _Something came up?_ " the blonde repeated, sounding far too chirpy. Diana rolled her eyes.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Why don't you just…I don't know, go shopping or something in the meantime?"

She didn't usually judge Audrey's pastimes; the woman  _was_  the heiress of a kingdom and girly outings were her only means of release. But Audrey did not take offense and instead grinned widely –or at least, Diana pictured she did.

" _We took the private jet, darling._ " By now, her voice had turned into a purr. _"Take aaaaaall the time you need."_

"It's not-" she started to protest, sighed heavily and then gave up. "I'll see you later."

" _Au revoir darling, and have fun! I want every detail on the way back!"_

Audrey hung up. Diana resisted the urge to smash the device on the floor.

"Annoying friend?"

She glanced up. Bruce was walking out of the bathroom, fresh from his shower and hair still wet, dressed in this suit that seemed to fit him like a second skin. When he smirked, Diana realized she had been staring –and not replying –far too long.

"Something like that. Can we go now?" she was proud to note she did not sound desperate. He took pity on her and let her lead the way.

The breakfast at the hotel was a feast. The delicatessen looked high-quality, milk and cheese and cereals presented on fancy plates, slices of different kind of cakes smelling like they had just been baked could have made her salivate. She shamelessly picked up a bit of each and gave Bruce her own look, daring him to comment on her choice of food. To his credit, Bruce merely smiled as if this was normal occurrence. They didn't talk much as they ate, each lost to his thoughts.

Diana was already running through the list of things she had to deal with upon her return. She was currently crashing at Shayera's place, but soon she'd have to find a place to live. She had moved into Steve's apartment half a year ago, and both have been looking to buy a house in the outskirts of New York. She grimly wondered if he would be settling in the place with Etta now.

"You look troubled," Bruce said, pulling her from her thoughts. "Is the situation unsettling you that much?"

"It's not related to…" she started and paused. This was none of his business. "Look, it's personal."

"Does it concern your ex-fiancé?"

Diana snapped her mouth closed and stared at him, stunned.

"You remember  _that_? Wait, I told you about-"

"Steve Trevor and his one-year cheating on you with that secretary from work? The so-called close childhood friend?"

Her face turned sour.

"What was I thinking?" she wondered out loud.

"You needed to vent, I offered a willing ear," Bruce replied sympathetically. "Your friend had deserted you for some Frenchman, I think."

Diana buried her face in her hands and mentally cursed Audrey for the nth time in their three years of friendship.

"I need a place to stay when I return to New York," she admitted. "I'm rooming with a friend right now, but it's a temporary solution."

"As a matter of fact, I have an apartment in New York," Bruce replied with a shrug. "And I can lend it to you."

"I don't think it's a good idea," Diana countered cautiously. "I mean, we are getting a divorce here, I'm not…I mean, it's not like we're together or anything."

Bruce appeared undisturbed.

"That is something I wanted to talk to you about," he said, and seemed to steel himself. "I don't wish to divorce you."

Diana chocked on her coffee.

"What?"

Bruce had the gall not to shy away from her incredulous stare.

"I think we should try to work this out." He went on seriously.

She stared at him, her eyes owl-wide opened.

" _What_?" she repeated, equally stunned.

Bruce sighed, leaned back in his chair.

"Look, we've only met less than twelve hours ago. Yet in that margin time, we got married. There must be a reason."

"Bruce, we were smashed  _beyond_  reason," she reminded him carefully.

"And yet." He paused, added softly: "I got smashed beyond reason before far more that I'd like to admit and I didn't end up married, much to a disappointed few. But with you…I have a feeling you are different. I understand you just got out of a betrayal and I don't want to pressure you about anything. I'll even start the divorce procedure if it makes you more comfortable. But I'd still like us to try."

No. She should have said  _hell_  no straight on. That was a terrible idea.

"This is crazy," she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I mean, it's not that…I don't throw myself into relationships like this and even without that, I'm…I'm not as trusting as I appear. For gods' sake, I broke up with my ex last week, I still want to crush his skull with my bare hands. I'm not in the mood in getting into a new relationship-" No matter if the man was hot, good in bed, and legally her godforsaken  _husband_. "And, I don't know you!"

Bruce seemed to consider her words. Then, out of the blue, he smiled and extended his hand:

"Hello, my name is Bruce Wayne. I am thirty-one and I live in a manor in the outskirts of Gotham. I'm also a playboy billionaire, sole heir of the international Wayne Enterprise. My parents were murdered when I was eight. I adopted two kids –one of which passed away in an accident last year and the other lives in Buldhaven and swore to never speak to me again. My butler is also my legal guardian-slash-father figure who has made it his life's mission to marry me off before I hit the wondrous age of thirty-five. And in spite of the circumstances, I would very much like to get to know you better. Are you interested?"

Diana stared at his hand, feeling her lips twist in amusement in spite of herself. His extended hand was an olive branch, his expectation for her answer. She made up her mind and replied:

"Hello Bruce. My name is Diana Prince. I'm a twenty-two year old college student in Ancient History who got roped into following a friend to Las Vegas for the sole purpose of cheering me up, because I learned my fiancé knocked up another girl last week. I have one younger half-sister and half-brother –twins –that I adore. My parents are divorced, my father remarried and my mother is currently dating a woman. Oh, and I was sent three months in juvie for stabbing my uncle when I was twelve. Are  _you_  still interested?"

Bruce didn't pull back. If anything, his grin widened when they shook hands in an absurd, solemn fashion.

"I was never one for boring anyway."


	3. Chapter 3

**What Starts in Vegas**

**3**

 

_Two Weeks Later…_

 

Diana looked around her new apartment. Tall walls, very spacious and very quiet; it was at least twice as big as the one she and Steve had shared. When she had tried to discuss rent with Bruce, he had brushed the matter away –he owned it and as she was legally his wife, it belonged to her too. She could even reshape its inside configuration if she willed it. It didn’t sit quite well for Diana: she had no idea how long she would be there, if they would stay ‘married’, what exactly he had in mind for her. So far, she had agreed to get to know him, not to play housewife. His schedule held him mostly in Gotham while her studies and side-job at the museum required her presence in New York, so they would rarely see each other least it be the weekends or the next holidays.

Hardly an ideal way to build a relationship; not to mention, Diana still wasn’t quite over her ex-fiancé.

She had loved Steve, loved him still– five years of dating and one of cohabitation was no small means. His betrayal burned her, and even though she had sworn to herself she wouldn’t cry over him, it hadn’t stopped her from beating the shit out of the punching bags of her regular gym. He hadn’t tried to reach her, probably too busy playing future daddy with Etta to care. And now the situation with Bruce…

_What had she gotten herself into?_

She had done some research after they had separated; him back to Gotham, her to Audrey’s plane with an additional number on her phone. And boy, she had no idea his reputation was that…sulfurous. Gotham trash was his worst nickname; Prince of Gotham the best. Both made her wonder why he wanted to stay married to her in the first place. He could have anyone he wanted, yet he’d settle for a mousy college student that specialized in Ancient History?

Diana shoved those thoughts aside; she would play his game for the time being and hold onto her word…but she had to consider that if they did become serious, her face might end up plastered on magazines. She wasn’t sure she could deal with that.

The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts.

Frowning, she glanced at the clock. It was ticking close to eight, she hadn’t eaten yet and she was not in the mood for visitors. Still, curiosity won over and she checked through the peephole and gawked. She immediately opened, a little confused.

“Bruce? What are you doing here?”

It was indeed her recent husband standing there, looking far too big in the corridor, dressed in a trench coat and shiny shoes as if he was just coming back from work.  

“I was in the area, thought I would stop by and say hello,” he replied with a small shrug. “I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“No, not at all.” Truth be told, she hadn’t expected to see him till another week. “Come in.”

She stepped aside. He entered and dropped his coat on the hanger as if he had always done so. She assumed he must have come here before, and immediately wondered if he had been accompanied time too.

“Here,” he pulled a stack of papers from his briefcase and handed them to her. “My lawyer filled everything. It just needs your signature. If you have any objections about the wording, don’t hesitate to tell me –or call him if you prefer.” Bruce paused, shifting on his feet. “I do hope you’ll consider not signing them right away though.”

Diana took the divorce papers. She’d have to run through them later, but as she had agreed to give him a chance, she let them in the drawer next to the front door.

“I’ll consider it,” she promised. “Thank you for dropping them off…” a thought occurred to her and she narrowed her eyes. “Did you also come for sex?”

Bruce ran a hand in his hair. He didn’t deny it but didn’t agree either.

“Work was hellish today,” he admitted. “I guess I wanted to see a face that didn’t match business with Wayne Enterprises…someone from the…outside.”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Don’t you have friends?”

“A few, but none that I want to see right now. And tonight’s Friday; I figured we could, I don’t know, spend the Saturday morning together. With or without sex,” he added afterthought.

He looked tired, a little nervous but friendly. Diana let her guard down, figured that as her –no matter what he said –landlord _and_ her husband, she could welcome him for the evening.

“Don’t expect me to do the cooking,” she warned. “I’m most likely to burn down the kitchen.”

Bruce smirked.

“Don’t worry; I know a great takeout place around the corner.”

_Sometime Later…_

“And so he did _what_?” Diana asked, scandalized.

“He tried to outright bribe half the board in my back,” Bruce repeated, rubbing his eyes. “Thankfully, Fox was always loyal, even back when my father was the CEO. He brought the matter to me and I fired the two on spot.”

“No wonder why you needed a drink,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. She took another bite of the plate in front of her. “On another note, this dish is amazing.”

Bruce preened as if he had cooked it himself.

“This chain of restaurant is really good. A friend of mine recommended it; they have the same in Metropolis and I _have_ to stop by whenever I see one.”

“Your friend has good taste.”

“I’ll tell him. So what about you? What about that project you were working on –the medusa, right?”

_Still Later…_

“Some people never grow up,” Bruce concluded with compassion. Diana blew a raspberry and curled more comfortably against him. They had migrated back to the couch, where she had continued to mention her own troubles. It had been surprisingly easy to confide to him; he listened with genuine interest, asked questions when he didn’t quite follow and knew how to appease her when she grew agitated. She briefly wondered if his experience with past conquests helped him deal with this kind of situation.

“You’d think people would be more serious entering college.” While she emptied her sack, she had unconsciously shifted closer, an old habit taken with Steve. Bruce hadn’t seemed to mind so far. “But if Marcy makes another stupid ‘ _everything in the legs but nothing in the brain_ ’ remark on Wally, I will punch her.”

“That kind of behavior is textbook for insecurity,” he pointed out. “That’s odd, especially since she’s dating Luthor.”

“I have no idea if she’s unsecured, but then she’s determined to make everyone as miserable as she is,” Diana concluded with a huff.

He ran a soothing hand in her hair. She allowed herself to close her eyes and be comforted. His fingers skillfully massaged the lower part of her neck. Diana sighed and relaxed. The man was good at that; he had either talent or great practice. Right now, she was grateful for both.

“You don’t have much to go till your exams,” Bruce went on, as if he wasn’t giving her the massage of her life. “You’ll be fine.”

“I know.” Diana sighed. “She just keeps picking on some of my friends.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, though a very subtle tension was rising between them. Though he wasn’t _trying_ anything, Diana could feel his hands twitching to migrate to more intimate places. And if she were honest, she was starting to long for a little more too.

“What’s on TV?” Bruce asked as what she recognized was an attempt to ignore said tension.

“Bruce,” she interrupted and pulled away from his embrace. He turned to face her. She landed a kiss square on his mouth.

The response, though delayed by a semi-second, was immediate. His hands were trading down her waist, buried into her hair, back on her hips while she tried to match the hunger with which he devoured her mouth.

“Thought you wanted to take this slow?” he managed to articulate once they parted for air.

Diana trained a finger over his lips. He looked like a predator ready to pounce on a prey. She wondered if she bore the same expression.

“I want you,” she blurted then stated the obvious: “You want me. We’re married. I’d say we get on with it.”

She stepped off his thighs to get rid of her top, bra, pants and underwear. Bruce watched with an odd intensity that gave her shivers. His eyes surveyed every inch of her bare skin, from her shoulders to her legs, and the appreciative smile aroused her even more. Diana hadn’t enough experience in the sexual domain to know if she had kinks or any particular preferences, but it seemed that being fully naked in front of a fully dressed lover might be one of them. She zeroed on the bulge growing beneath his zipper and looking quite uncomfortable. When he reached for the buttons of his shirt, she stopped him.

“Stay like this,” Diana whispered, and moved to straddle his thighs again. The fabric of his pants rubbed against her skin. Her breasts pressed against his covered chest. His hands held her by the waist. They felt large and warm and soon she knew he’d let them wander a little elsewhere…

Bruce swallowed hard. His eyes were almost black with lust but he met hers without flinching.

“As you wish.”

Their mouths fused together. She opened his pants just enough to free him and positioned herself above him. He guided her hips down on his length, tried not to move as she took him in, hard and hot and thick. Diana gasped as he made his way inside her, emitting small plaintive noises from the back of her throat. They intensified when Bruce caught a nipple in his mouth and started sucking. She held onto his clothed-shoulders, appreciated the softness of the fabric. He took control of the rhythm, thrusting slowly at first, and then harder. His hands were everywhere, the tension building in her loins spread into her body till her head started spinning.

And when she sagged against him, spent and sated and for the first time since that night in Vegas, Diana felt like this might not be such a mistake after all.

**What Starts In Vegas…**

 

The next day was Saturday; which meant no work for Bruce. It also meant Diana had to take her shift at the museum in the early afternoon. He stared at the dark-haired beauty lying beside him. She had put on a shirt as a nightgown after their third round of lovemaking and fallen asleep promptly. Her hair was spread over the pillow, her face looked peaceful and rested and he couldn’t help the manly puff of pride that told him he had played a part in her relaxed stance.

She was a beautiful woman, all curves, with an equally wonderful brain and a type of innocence and spontaneity he found terribly attractive. Perhaps he was taking advantage of her vulnerability, of her youth –she was barely older than Dick in that regard, but in other ways, seemed much wiser than her years. Her open-mindedness surprised him –though given her unconventional family, it shouldn’t really. But he was far too selfish to consider giving her freedom back. Bruce had worked hard to get where he stood and knew how to recognized good people. After all the socialites that had wandered in and out of his life, the overcomplicated rules and conventions hypocritical upperclassmen loved to follow, a more down-to-earth change made him feel good.

When Bruce had first saw her at the hotel in Vegas, he was –he would shamefully admit –searching for some nightly company. After bearing most of Clark’s guests for his bachelor party, he had decreed he had earned the rest of the night off. And there she had appeared, lonely, sipping a drink at the bar, and about to get accosted by some low-life moron eying her like a piece of candy. One glare at the man had him clear off and Bruce had thrown the bait. The rest of the night had only _half_ played out like he had expected; he got his one-night stand, and a little extra called a ring around his finger. When Diana had not recognized him and demanded an annulment, Bruce had honestly gotten intrigued. And as bits and pieces of his memories returned –quite fast actually, he was used to quick recovery, he had genuinely wanted to see if they could work out. He wanted to know her better, see if she could withstand him –and since she seemed to be one force of nature, he was curious to see if he could withstand her. They worked in bed quite formidably, he thought with amusement, why not in real life?

His phone beeped. A text from Clark, warning him he might be a bit late for lunch because of some last-minute adjustment Perry wanted to make. Bruce nearly slapped himself: he had completely forgotten to cancel their meeting.  

“A jealous mistress already?”

He nearly jumped, startled by her voice. Diana was still curled under the covers but her eyes were opened and alert, watching him with a glint of teasing.

“A lunch date with a friend of mine. We were celebrating his bachelor party when we met, you and I.”

“Really?” she rolled more comfortably on her side. She seemed to believe him, much to his relief. “Back in Gotham?”

“Metropolis, actually. I came here on impulse, completely forgot to cancel.” He typed a few words, pressed sent. “There, done.”

Diana chuckled and brushed his arm with the back of her hand, a gentle caress that made him tremble already.

“Good morning,” she said. Her eyes blinked drowsily but her smile was genuine. For a brief moment, Bruce forgot to breathe and stared at her in awe. She _had_ to be a witch or a goddess; only that could explain how he could find her so alluring with her head in a mess and dressed with a faded T-shirt.

“Hey…” he muttered weakly and, following his impulse, leant forward to kiss her. She stopped his progression by pressing her to his mouth.

“Fool breath in the morning,” Diana explained with a hint of a smile. “Why don’t you dress up while I get a shower?”

Bruce wondered who had the fool breath, decided he did not want to know, and nodded reluctantly. He could always find a way to ravish her later. Diana left the bed, stretching with no care in the world while he ogled her perfect behind.

“Can I join you?” he asked before she shut the door.

“Maybe later,” she shot back. “You tired me out.”

Now that was a real boost to his ego, he thought smugly. He decided to dress and find a café or something that would suit them both; and they’d resume the discussion of the previous night. Bruce had just finished buttoning up his shirt that someone rang at the door. He glanced at the clock –just eight am.

“Could you open?” Diana asked from the bathroom. From the sound of it, she had just walked out of the shower. “It’s probably the postman; I ordered a few things when I moved in here.”

“Sure.”

Bruce went to the door, opened…and came face-to-face with a carbon copy –albeit younger –of his wife. Given her owlish blink, she was not expecting him either.

“Uh…hello, who are you?” he asked.

The young woman couldn’t be over eighteen. Her hair was cut short above her shoulders, blue eyes wide and mouth round in an unpronounced ‘oh’. Her surprise did not last.

“I should say who the fuck are _you_?” she blurted, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “This is my sister’s place –Diana! Diana! You’re alright!” she shouted, ready to run through him though he was twice as big.

Bruce heard footsteps behind, and his wife stepped into the corridor, fully dressed, hair damp and cheeks flushed.

“Donna?” she blurted, just as surprised as everyone. “What are you doing here?”

The young woman literally shoved Bruce aside to step in and pulled Diana into a tight hug.

“You’re okay? Audrey told us that you and Steve had broken up because he’s been a complete moron and an imbecile. And then Jason called to say he finished helping you move in and I’m sorry I couldn’t free myself earlier for that by the way –and he said your apartment was amazing but seriously, couldn’t you have told us something was going wrong?”

Bruce watched as Diana stiffened and pulled out of her sister’s embrace.

“I’m fine,” she said, her tone tight and cool. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough,” Donna said then glared at Bruce. “Who’s he?”

“His name is Bruce, and he’s my landlord,” Diana replied quickly. “I had trouble with the –ah – a pipe, he came to check it out.”

Bruce should have felt stung that she wouldn’t acknowledge their relationship, but on the other hand, understood her reaction. She had been engaged to a man less than two weeks before, and now found herself in the arms of another. Given the little history he picked up, Diana didn’t trust easily but she was making efforts to get to know him. If she wanted to keep their status quiet, the least he could do was comply. He could just hope the secrecy would not last –though he didn’t mind keeping the marriage part quiet a little longer.

Donna looked mortified that she had behaved quite rudely with the owner of her sister’s place. Bruce decided he might as well get into her good graces and not hold it against her…for now.

“Bruce Wayne,” he introduced himself with the smile he usually gave his business partners. “Nice to meet you Miss Prince.”

“It’s Troy, actually,” Donna corrected. “Di and I are half-sisters.”

“My bad,” Bruce said, though he was aware of it. Diana had briefly told him about her family between two rounds. “I suppose I should take my leave. I’ll see you later Diana.”

Diana waved gratefully. He picked up his keys and coat, trying to contain his disappointment. With their respective schedule, he would not see her till another few days at best, next weekend at worse. Bruce sighed heavily when he reached the sidewalk. He might as well rectify his statement to Clark and maintain their lunch date. When he pulled his cell phone, he realized Diana had sent him a message.

_‘I’ll make it up to you next week! Xoxo’_

Bruce couldn’t stop the grin that split his face in two.

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning ahead, 'Jason' is Diana's twin brother in the comics, not Bruce's Jason (though I do refer to Jason Todd when I speak of Bruce's deceased son. Is it me or does DC just love that name?). Here, he is Donna's twin for plot purpose.
> 
> Unbeta-ed work, so all mistakes are mine.

 

 

 

**What Starts in Vegas…**

 

**4**

 

Diana put down her cell phone, a small smile on her face. She could see the street from the kitchen window and though she lodged on the second level, she saw Bruce walk away with a spring in his step. She opened the fridge as Donna returned from exploring the living room.

"I was about to have breakfast. Do you want something?"

Her sister waved her suggestion away.

"I had an early snack with Jason. That freeloader has been crashing my apartment for the past few weeks. He says 'hi' by the way."

Donna and Jason had graduated last year and while Donna had applied to several universities, Jason had decided that high studies were not for him and had gotten himself hired by his uncle Porter –nicknamed Poseidon –in his fisherman's industry. As neither Hades nor Persephone would finance what they considered to be their son's whim, he would lodge with his sister until he gathered enough to rent his own apartment. In spite of Donna's complaints, Diana knew she didn't mind having her brother around.

"Tell him 'hi' when you return," Diana replied and checked for cereals. "So, why are you really here?"

Donna's expression turned concerned:

"Yesterday, Mom got a call from some woman, asking where she should ship the rest of your stuff. When you moved here, you told Jas that this was just one great opportunity to live closer to uni; but not that you had broken up. Hippolyta had no idea either and dad was  _this_  close to knock at Steve's door. So, instead of harassing you on the phone, they asked me to confront you straight ahead." Diana rolled her eyes.  _Typical_ , especially since they knew if Donna thought her emotional safety was at risk, she would never drop a bone. "Can you at least tell me what happened with Steve?"

Diana pursed her lips in distaste; she had sort of hoped Audrey had given them the baseline so she wouldn't have to explain, but it seemed her friend had once again chosen her moment to be discreet. Then, cold anger started emerging as she contemplated the gall of Steve for calling her stepmother to get her new address.

"He cheated on me, had been cheating on me for a long time, alright? I wasn't giving him any action, so he went to seek some elsewhere. I found out when Etta came to me and told me he had gotten her pregnant."

Donna suddenly looked devastated.

"I'm so sorry…" she said, sounding genuine. Donna had been one of the few to actually like Steve and not just tolerate him for her sake. "I thought he was so great!"

Diana smiled tightly.

"There were tensions lately," she admitted reluctantly. "We were working it through but I guess it would have never been enough. I'm just glad I found out now than too late."

In a blink of the eye, Donna was wrapping her in a gigantic, bear-crushing hug.

"I hope you won't let him depress you. If he couldn't keep it in his pants till you felt ready, then he was not for you." She released her and her tone of voice turned teasing: "Speaking of which, did Mister Bruce Wayne figure out what was wrong?" Diana glanced at her sister, puzzled. "The pipe that was supposedly  _broken_ ," Donna added mimicking quotation marks before making a face. "You always sucked at lying, Di. What I'd like to know is why you felt the need? I wouldn't judge you, you know that."

Diana sighed deeply. She did not want to have that conversation with her sister, but it seemed her glass-face had betrayed her once again. She had been hoping to keep things with Bruce under wraps a little longer, especially given the general context.

"Did it ever occur to you that I may want to have a  _personal,_  personal life?"

Donna crossed her arms petulantly.

"You never hide things from me –just like I never hid things from you –and I'm not about to let it start. Diana, be honest; are you sleeping with him?"

Diana glared at her.

"Donna, I appreciate your concern but-" she started.

"I get it, he's hot and he's got a long list of partners, so I'd suppose he's good in the sack, but really,  _Bruce_   _Wayne_?" Donna threw her hands in the air. " _That_  is a disaster in the making! I mean, does he know you've never slept with another man? Last I heard –and you just confirmed it, you and Steve were waiting for the wedding night to do it."

"Donna-"

"And that's totally okay, I mean, to each their lives, right? And you were going to be married and it was going to be great and everything –but you don't even know Bruce Wayne and with your problems with intimacy after what happened with Zeus-"

Diana slammed her hand on the counter. Donna shut her mouth, suddenly aware she had crossed a line.

"Do never mention that man's name in my presence again," she snarled, glaring at her. "I am aware of what happened;  _I_  was there."

Neither sister spoke for a full minute. Donna lowered her eyes.

"Sorry; I'm just worried about you."

Diana bit back a sigh; she knew Donna didn't have bad intentions; she just couldn't help sticking her nose in other people's business and push the wrong buttons.

"I met Bruce the weekend Audrey dragged me to Vegas, alright? I was a bit depressed; he was a good listener and things happened. He didn't force me into anything, not back then, not today."

Donna immediately scolded:

"So you were doing the deed before I arrived?  _Yuk_! It's like thinking of mom and dad in the bedroom." Pause. The curious expression told Diana her sister was about to make another embarrassing inquiry. "Is he really that good?"

Diana gave her the stinky eye, but failed to repress the flush growing on her cheeks.

"That is none of your business."

Donna smirked.

"Oh he  _must_  be, with  _that_  look on your face. Jason is going to flip when he learns-"

"You can't tell anyone," Diana interrupted abruptly. "Not Persephone,  _definitively_  not father,  _absolutely_  not mother and  _especially_  not Jason."

Donna stood dismayed.

"Why not?"

"I know them; I know how they'll react and I definitively don't want that. And Jason is a real babbler; if you tell him, the world will know within two hours." She sighed. "Somehow, Audrey kept her tongue and not even  _Shayera_  knows about Bruce. I'd like to keep it this way for a while longer."

"Okay, if you're sure." Donna hesitated before continuing cautiously: "Let's hope that Bruce Wayne will turn out to be decent for you. I don't expect him to be  _the one_ , but that you don't…I mean, he doesn't break your heart." Pause. "I know you don't want to talk about it but…does he know about Zeus?"

"Bruce knows I stabbed my uncle," Diana admitted. "I didn't tell him the circumstances yet. I don't even think he took me seriously." Donna fell silent. While Diana knew she was acting out of concern, she still fell irritated at her probing. "I won't allow that man's actions to dictate how I live that part of my life," she went on softly. "In spite of his reputation, I think Bruce is a good person. Dating him is a bit of a gamble, but I don't regret it so far."

Donna looked unconvinced, but knew better than to argue with her stubborn sister.

"If you say so," she conceded. "Be careful."

"I will."

Her heart had already been broken, but Bruce wasn't a bad consolation prize. Diana thought she'd play along, till he showed signs of restlessness. The moment she'd catch him eying another girl's chest, she'd sign the papers, find another apartment and move on. Yeah, the plan sounded right, she thought, and ignored the little voice in the back of her mind that said plan had every chance of going south.

**What Starts In Vegas…**

Alfred was staring at him. Usually, Bruce didn't care, but this time, his butler had this startled expression that he had grown a second head. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the older man, silently asking what the matter was.

"You are humming, sir." Bruce blinked and realized he was in the middle of  _Mamma Mia_. "I take it either Master Kent had excellent news, or your last conquest was…up to your taste?"

He hadn't told Alfred about the marriage. All the older man knew was that he had taken interest in yet another woman and said interest was holding. In spite of Alfred's quest to get him to tie the knot, he highly doubted the butler would be impressed by his unconventional –though involuntary –means to get a wife. He would tell the truth, someday. Just…not right now. Speaking of which, Bruce vaguely wondered if she had told her sister about them.

"Her name is Diana," he said. "I am considering inviting her to the manor next weekend."

She would get to see his house, and meet Alfred. Damn, he really hoped Alfred and she would get along. Said butler merely blinked.

"Of course, Master Wayne."

"Could you prepare a guest room, just in case?" he added quickly. "We are…trying to take it slow."

He didn't want to take it slow. He wanted to make love to her and hold her while she slept. Bruce desperately hoped she wouldn't want to take it slow either. Just imagining Diana in his bed, squirming the way she had the past night...He cleared his throat and attempted to focus on the current situation; which was firmly ignoring Alfred's growing stare of disbelief. Bruce Wayne never 'took things slow' with anyone.

"We'll be arriving Friday night," he added, and mentally reminded himself to check her schedule. He thought she had a free weekend then. "We'll probably leave Sunday in the morning, she has to finish this project."

"A project, sir?"

"Yes." Bruce hesitated, but knew eventually that the butler would find out. "She's still in college."

Twenty-two to his thirty-one. He hadn't considered the gap between them but only realized how it would look to outsiders. Most of the women flocking around him were minimum twenty-five. His peers would already judge her for being a  _commoner_  and not a socialite. And then he remembered he didn't care much about said peers' opinion. The only ones that mattered were his friends –Clark and Lois, perhaps Ollie and Zatanna and maybe even Arthur –and family –Alfred and…Dick. Damn, another sensible matter he would have to deal with. The boy had just turned twenty and in spite of their rift, Bruce still wanted to introduce Diana to him.

"College, sir?"

Bruce glanced at his butler/father figure. Alfred was carefully hiding his reaction, though Bruce expected him to be very suspicious.

"Diana is a great girl," he protested, feeling it was his duty to defend his wife. "It's not –she's not taking any advantage. She's just giving me a chance, so I'm taking it."

His tone indicated there would be no further discussion on the matter. Alfred took the hint and did not push. Bruce felt a headache growing. He wasn't sure how well the first encounter would go, but for everyone's sake, he hoped it would go smoothly.

**What Starts in Vegas…**

Alfred had just set the last fork on the table when he heard the car arrive in the main yard. It was early evening, not quite close to dinnertime, but just enough for Bruce to show his guest around before sitting before the table. The man was most likely trying to make short introductions tonight and have them talk at leisure the next day. Or perhaps this Diana's schedule did not permit her to leave earlier. As he moved to open the front door, the butler sighed inwardly for the nth time: Bruce had had many liaisons, but he had never gone for college students for the past few years, thinking them too young and immature for him. He wondered what had caught his ward's eye in this one.

They were talking as they reached the porch, Bruce gallantly holding a plain-looking backpack for her. The girl –no, woman –he brought back was a beautiful creature; tall and lean, dark long hair with big blue eyes and a charming smile. The butler had to admit he could see why his ward had decided to give her a chance.

"Diana, this is Alfred," Bruce introduced with a hint of pride. "Alfred, Diana."

Alfred was the first to know beauty could be only a façade, but when she smiled, he could find no deception.

"It's nice to put a face on the name. I'm pleased meet you," she said with a lyrical voice. "Bruce has nothing but praises about you."

"I am afraid I cannot return the compliment," the butler said. "Master Wayne rarely mentions his dalliances."

Her expression fell –a mixture of confusion and slight hurt. Alfred  _almost_  felt bad for upsetting her.

"Diana is not a  _dalliance_ ," Bruce interrupted quite coldly and put a hand on her forearm. "Sorry Di, I think Alfred is in a bit of a mood. Why don't I show you around?"

He guided her to the next room, not before shooting the older man a warning glare. Alfred sighed deeply, knowing he had treated Bruce's former lovers with more respect than he had just showed his current one. He couldn't help himself; it had been a while since he had seen his charge eager to bring someone home. Knowingly or unknowingly, this Diana was gaining influence over Bruce in a very short amount of time. The last time a woman had gained any hold on him…Alfred would rather not think of Miss Kyle anytime soon.

He returned to the kitchen to finish the diner. He could only hope the lady would understand his coldness, if not, he would make proper excuses later. Much to his relief, he did not need to call for the couple, as they arrived in due time in the living room. Alfred's opinion of Diana rose slightly when she inquired why he wasn't joining them, to which Bruce replied -slightly embarrassed- that it had always been that way.

He eavesdropped as the conversation shifted subject, a passionate debate on a TV show he did not follow. When he arrived in the living room for the first service, Diana smiled at him, but it seemed a little tensed. Alfred decided to focus on his role as a butler and delivered the main dish without doing much more but announce the name of the plate. The two ate in silence mostly, whether they were refrained by his presence or enjoying their meal –Alfred hoped it was the latter. When he came to take away the plates, Diana assured him it was very good, and he thought the compliment genuine. Then came the dessert. Aflred didn't stick in the room, but made sure he hovered close to the door.

"This is amazing," Diana moaned as she took another bite of the crème brûlé. "Was Alfred a five stars chef in another life?"

"You'll have to ask him."

Alfred heard her hum in delight again and stood a little straighter;  _some_  reactions could not be faked.

"You have to stop making these noises, Di," Bruce growled.

"I'll make it up to you later," she promised and made another pleased sound that might have been on purpose.

When Alfred returned to clean the table, he denied Diana's help who didn't seem to hold his rudeness against him –perhaps the crème brûlé had softened her opinion of him? Given the hungry look on Bruce's face, the butler thought it wise they'd return upstairs now to get  _it_  out of their system. At times like these, he was very happy Master Wayne's bedroom had been soundproofed. The couple disappeared after bidding him a short goodnight, and Alfred figured it was a good thing he had not set the guest room after all. It also occurred to him that he had not yet apologized.

He gave a light shrug and figured he would fix that in the morrow.

_The next day_

Bruce woke up first, drawn by the light of day bleeding thought unclosed shutters. A quick glance downward made him smile: Diana was curled around him, an arm thrown over his chest and their legs entangled together, in the very same position they had fallen asleep in a few hours back. He somewhat managed to extricate himself from her octopus grip and slipped on the floor avoiding the creaking spots. Bruce watched as her hand moved in search of something to hold, found his pillow, clenched a few times before deciding the fluffy stuff was not him, and rolled on the other side with a disappointed pout on her face.

He smiled fondly. She was getting used to his presence; which he took as a good sign. He was growing a lot more attached to her than he'd anticipated. Truthfully, he thought their relationship would have to go through a slow build; he did not expect to become addicted to her so quickly. Bruce sincerely hoped she would grow to feel the same. The divorce papers were in her hands; one graffiti from her part, and they would legally be done. They may have been together for only two weeks, but he was less and less ready to let her go.

Bruce picked his robe and quietly left the room to make his way downstairs. Alfred already had the table set up.

"Any preference for Miss Prince?" his butler inquired when he saw his charge alone.

Bruce remembered their breakfast at the hotel and the ingredients he had spotted in her apartment.

"Iced Mocha. And put together a bit of everything." He demonstrated the small cakes and croissants still warm from the oven. "And set it on a plate or something, I'll bring it to her."

Alfred gave him the appropriate stare of surprise.

"Breakfast in bed, sir?" he questioned, and even his British upbringing couldn't hide the incredulity in his tone. "You must want to impress her badly."

Bruce hoped his ears didn't flush too much.

"I'm just being nice," he defended himself. She  _was_  his wife, not that Alfred knew. "I like her."

The butler hmed noncommittally but set the dishes on a platter for him to carry.

He brought the whole upstairs, nearly tripping twice, and thought of giving Alfred yet another raise for his skills. How the man did it and made it look easy was beyond him. As he suspected, Diana was drowsing off, half-awake now. Her smile when she spotted him made him feel warm and content. She was beautiful in the morning light.

"Hey gorgeous," he said. Diana shifted into a seating position, the covers pooling off her top. Her loose hair covered parts of her chest, but not enough to hide her nipples, perking in reaction to the difference of temperature under the covers and outside.

"Hey handsome," she replied and eyed the platter. "For me?"

"Won't happen every day, but I felt like spoiling you a bit," he admitted. Diana moved aside to give him some space. Bruce was thoroughly distracted by the way her breasts bounced, and by what he would really like to do to them right now. He somehow managed to put the platter on the mattress and, answering to her demand, slid behind her to serve as a human backrest. She settled comfortably against him and started digging.

Through the whole ordeal, he couldn't stop touching her –a hand on her waist, his fingers trailing up and down her stomach, up her thighs, kissing her shoulder, breathing her hair…She was eating far too slowly and making soft sounds of appreciation that put his self-control to rough testing.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" he complained.

"What?" she inquired innocently, but he was starting to recognize that tone.

"Finish that breakfast so I can ravish you properly," he growled. Diana laughed.

"I am savoring Alfred's baking," she protested.

He slipped his hand down her stomach, felt the brief tension in her thighs as he stopped over her midsection. He was surprised to feel how aroused she already was. Perhaps she wanted to indulge in a little anticipation before letting him having his way with her.

"That is cheating," she protested softly, but her hips subtly followed his strokes. Her breath got hitched and she clenched her hand over his forearm. "Bruce-"

He shushed her, dropped another kiss on the juncture of her neck and shoulder. His free hand cupped her left breast and squeezed.

"Well, I do intend to keep you in bed most of the day," he confessed. "And  _maybe_  make you visit the rest of the house later."

"You do have wicked intentions, Mr. Wayne," she teased, though her voice struggled to keep her cool. "I will have to work on an essay sometime this afternoon."

"Fine by me. I have some business to care for anyway, but not until  _far_  later," he replied. The wetness he was trying to draw out pooled over his fingers. "So, Diana," he lowered his voice on purpose and felt her responding shiver. "How about I make it my mission to have you scream my name?"

_Downstairs…_

Alfred shook his head, bemused at the thought of Bruce serving breakfast to anyone. He put back the dishes into the cupboard, cleaned the table and started making a mental list for the day's chores. Just as he was checking the third item, someone rang outside. A quick glance at the clock left him wondering who would arrive unannounced at eight a Saturday morning. Still, he headed to the door and opened. What he saw on the other side left him blinking.

"Oh," Alfred said to the newcomer and racked his brain on finding a way to break the news to his ward that his morning activities would have to be put on halt. "I was wondering if you would ever show up again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...not very happy with this chapter. Next one might come out late; I have a busy weekend upcoming. Till next time :)


	5. Chapter 5

**What Starts in Vegas**

**5**

Alfred shook his head, bemused at the thought of Bruce serving breakfast to anyone. He put back the dishes into the cupboard, cleaned the table and started making a mental list for the day's chores. Just as he was checking the third item, someone rang outside. A quick glance at the clock left him wondering who would arrive unannounced at eight a Saturday morning. Still, he headed to the door and opened. What he saw on the other side left him blinking.

"Oh," Alfred said, thinking of how to break the news to the couple upstairs. "I was wondering if you would ever show up again."

Dick Grayson grinned sheepishly.

"I know it's been a while…How have you been Alfred?"

The butler stepped aside and let the younger man in with a wide smile. He hadn't changed in the year he had been absent; he still had his long dark hair tied in a ponytail, still bore the mischievous glint in his eyes. To the butler, it had been far too long.

"As well as one old man can handle himself with an employer such as Master Wayne. How have you been?"

Dick shrugged off his coat and set it on the hanger.

"Good. College is fine, life goes on. So, where is the old man?" he inquired. Alfred's smile tightened slightly.

"He is…entertaining a guest."

Dick's good mood faltered.

"Another one?" he sneered. "How long do you think this one is going to last?"

Alfred thought of his ward's expression and the one on Diana's face.

"A while, I believe." And when Dick blinked blankly, Alfred felt necessary to add: "He seems…fond of Miss Prince."

Dick snorted.

"Yeah, he was  _'fond'_  of Selina too, and that ended so well." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sorry Alfred, she's still a sore spot."

Selina and Bruce had been about to marry when she had taken off with his mother's pearls and a few priceless items. The necklace had been returned, but the rest had vanished in various markets and the woman had never been seen again.

"She's a sore spot for everyone I assume." The butler muttered. "Why don't I get you a cup of coffee and you tell me why you returned to visit?"

Dick's attention peeked at the mention of coffee and followed him docilely.

_Upstairs – 1 hour later_

"I am starving," Diana blurted, sweating and panting. "I think I could eat a buffet."

Next to her, equally out of breath, Bruce replied:

"I should install a kitchen in here. Or a cupboard with plenty of food. It occurred to me before actually, but I never got around it." Pause. "Or maybe it was Alfred saying something about rats invading the first floor."

"Your butler is a wise man," Diana conceded and rolled on her side. "I'll go get something in the kitchen. Should I bring you anything?"

His eyes never left her backside as she dug for a light dress from her bag.

"I can go," he offered.

"I need to find my way around your house," she teased. "You can come to my rescue if I take too long."

Bruce looked chagrined as she finished dressing up.

"Do you need to eat so badly?" he questioned mournfully.

"If I want to keep up with your stamina, I better," she replied lightly. "I hadn't realized how tiring sex was, and you did promise to keep me in bed most of the weekend."

"I can work with that," he conceded, then narrowed his eyes. "If you are not back within five minutes, I am coming for you."

Diana gave him a small wave and left through the door. The previous day, Bruce had given her a short tour of the mansion and while she had marveled at the splendors of the house, she still wasn't sure she wouldn't get lost in such a maze. She found the main staircase, used her memory to locate the kitchens.

There were voices downstairs, two men carrying a conversation. She wondered if Bruce was aware that Alfred had company –or if the visitor was polite enough to wait for them to be 'done' to intrude. Either way, as she suspected the room to be her final destination, she pushed the door open.

Alfred was sitting at the table, a young man had its chair across him. He appeared about her age, dark-haired and brown-eyes, lean and well-built. Though Diana hadn't seen pictures of him, she had a good idea of who he might be.

"Uh, hello," she said. "You must be Richard."

The stranger slowly rose from his seat.

"Hi. You are dad's new squeeze?"

His smile was strained, as if he was trying very hard not to snarl. Since Diana already had the cold shoulder treatment from Alfred, it didn't come as much as a surprise this time. Still, she wasn't used to face blatant mistrust and would not tolerate it. She narrowed her eyes; he wanted a fight? She'd give him one.

"I may be dating your father, but I will not tolerate you calling me his 'squeeze'," she retorted coldly. Dick shrugged.

"He changes girl every few weeks. I don't know what you're expecting from him, but you won't get it. Don't think yourself mistress of Wayne Manor yet."

Oddly, the idea hadn't even occurred to her. The manor was 'Bruce's house' in her mind; Diana hadn't realized that being his wife, she would have a claim to it too.

"I'm not-" she protested, but was interrupted when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Richard and Alfred stared behind her, and she knew Bruce had just joined the lot.

"Diana is my wife, and you will treat her with the respect she deserves," said man replied as a means of greeting.

A big silence followed in the kitchen.

" _WHAT_?!"

_Sometime later…_

Bruce and Dick had left for the living room for a more heated argument, leaving Diana and Alfred behind in awkward silence. They had remained in the kitchen and were watching the news channel. Some journalist was announcing the opening of a new harbor in the city. The butler had not commented on the situation, though it was obvious he would very much like to. Though only bits and parts of the conversation between father and son could be heard, she could guess the many subjects that were being approached; the young man's return, Bruce's marriage, and other things she didn't quite make out.

She met Alfred's gaze again and decided to break it.

"We met in Vegas, we were drunk out of our minds and Bruce didn't want an annulment so here we are." She summarized. Alfred gave her a particularly unimpressed look.

"He did not want an annulment," the butler repeated, unconvinced.

"I had no idea who he was when I woke up. I figured he was rich when I saw the price tag of the ring," she added, and reflected that the ring was still carefully hidden in her stuff near the marriage contract. "In spite of the circumstances, I do like Bruce. Our meeting was very unconventional and to be honest, I'm still not sure we're doing the right thing." She sighed. "But he is the kind of man I would like to get to know better." She quieted when she heard the name 'Jason' being pronounced and assumed it was Bruce's second son. The butler seemed to have tensed too, but was doing an admirable job of not showing it. Diana pinched her lips, and decided she might as well ask. "Alfred, can you help me understand what is going on?"

The butler stared at her solemnly, as if he was considering if she was worth knowing his secrets or not.

"Has Master Wayne mentioned his second son?" he eventually asked.

Diana nodded.

"I do know he passed away last year, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it, so I didn't press the matter." She lowered her eyes. "I have my own family drama, so I know what it's like to have to open up on sensible matters." She met his eyes again. "Will you tell me, please?"

Alfred looked resigned. After a while, he put the TV on mute and began the story:

"Five years ago, a young lad tried to steal Master Wayne's car tires. As Master Wayne is a, pardon the expression, 'sucker' for desperate causes, he took him in and adopted him. Jason was violent and ruthless, but a good boy at heart. Unfortunately, it did not last."

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Gotham happened, Miss Prince. Gotham always happens." Alfred seemed sad to have to say these words, but she understood it was the reality; Gotham  _was_  one city with the highest crime rate in the country. "Bruce Wayne might be a good man, but he is a very powerful one and he too has enemies. The 'accident' Jason was caught in was caused by one desperate man manipulated by a ruthless one." Alfred paused, the pain evident on his face. "As you can imagine, things were never quite the same again. Master Wayne changed and Master Richard turned angry for various reasons."

Diana briefly closed her eyes. She wanted to have a family of her own someday, and couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child, even an adopted one.

"I'm sorry Alfred, I shouldn't have asked, it was insensitive of me."

The butler gave her a cautious look.

"Why?"

"You cared for him too; and I just brought up bad memories because I was afraid to hurt Bruce." She shook her head. "I should have asked him instead. Please forgive me."

Alfred bore an odd expression on his face. He was about to say something when her gaze was directed elsewhere: the news channel was on mute, but the breaking news caught her eye:  _Former CEO Zeus Lymps Released._

Her mind turned blank, her heart beat harder in an almost painful way. The camera zoomed on the face of the former prisoner, on the dark eyes, thick black hair and crooked smirk. Though the TV was muted, she could almost hear his sickening voice:  _'Come on, my little Di, let's play a game…'_

"Miss Prince?"

Diana's attention hastily returned on Alfred. She tightened her fists briefly, forced herself to breathe and prayed the butler wouldn't notice her sudden unease.

"I'm sorry, I was a little distracted. You were saying?"

Alfred turned around and spotted the news. He grimaced.

"Ah, Zachary Lymps. Nasty creature. I was hoping he would stay locked for another decade."

Diana couldn't bring herself to look at the newscast again. She was desperately trying to find a subject to discuss when the front door slammed violently. Both saw through the window Richard walking to his car, climbing inside and leaving the yard. Alfred looked sad and resigned.

"I guess I became yet another matter of tensions," she said, feeling guilty.

"Tensions always existed between the two," Alfred said in what she supposed was meant to be a reassuring tone. "You are, unfortunately, just another drop."

"Why did he return?"

"Ironically, Master Richard met a young woman and wished to introduce her to him," the butler said with a side smile. Through the window, they saw Bruce get into his own car. "I suppose Master Wayne will want to have some space of his own. Don't take it personally, Miss Prince, he always isolates himself when he needs to think."

In the absence of her husband, Diana spent hours discussing with Alfred instead, learning of Bruce's family. He told her stories of his parents, of a younger Master Bruce, and after a little while, told him about how he came to work for the Waynes. They ate lunch together, and Diana in turn opened up a little about herself. She told the butler about her siblings, her unconventional family and her hopes for her own career.

By the time Bruce returned in the middle of the afternoon, she and Alfred had begun to get to know each other, and the butler had even apologized for his behavior the previous day. Bruce found them sitting in the garden, sipping yet another cup of tea –it turned out Alfred and she loved the same brand –and eating a cake the butler had made especially for her.

Upon Bruce's arrival, the two glanced at him.

"Is the new drift irreparable, sir?" the butler inquired politely, yet with a hint of irritation.

The other man shrugged.

"I called to apologize. The ball is in his court now."

Alfred gave him a satisfied nod and left them alone. Bruce took the vacated seat and glanced at her. He bore a tired expression, but didn't seem worse for wear. His retreat must have done him good, which she was glad for.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I just needed some space. I hate arguing with Dick but it seems that's the one thing we do best."

"Alfred is good company," Diana said eventually. "But next time, a little warning would be appreciated." When Bruce replied nothing, she added: "Talk to me, Bruce. We promised to get to know each other and it won't happen if you shut me out. I'm your wife now and I hope your friend, not some passing  _dalliance_ " she used the word on purpose "anymore. What happened between the two of you?"

The look he gave her made her heart twinge. She took his hand in encouragement and waited.

"Dick's parents worked in a circus; they were acrobats. During a performance, an accident happened and they both fell to their death." Diana gasped, horrified. "I was in the audience when it happened. I was about his age when my own parents died, so when I heard he had no family left, I offered to take him in. It was alright, at first. Then when he reached his teenage years…" Bruce shrugged. "You know teenagers and their parents. We had a few arguments, he called me too controlling, I reproached him he wasn't careful enough. Jason arrived around that time. It didn't help the tensions between us, because Jas needed a lot more…attention."

"Alfred said he was more violent," Diana pointed out. Bruce gave her a rough smile.

"He didn't have an easy life, and he grew in the Gotham streets. Violence was all he knew, but he was a good kid. Fast forward five years, he dies." The words were short, but Diana saw the raw emotion in his eyes; it wasn't lack of empathy that made him keep the details to minimum but too much feeling. "I was internalized in a medical facility, a few months later." He admitted. "I had a mental breakdown. Soon after the trial, I was allowed to meet Jason's murderer. We were left alone and I –I snapped." He met her eyes, vaguely distant. "I tried to strangle him with my bare hands, Diana. Dick wasn't there. I left him with Alfred and when security came, I was shipped straight to an institution. I wasn't strong enough; I left him behind, and I don't think he ever forgave me for that."

There were no words to be said to make things better, nothing that could ease his pain; so she did the only thing she could think of. She dropped his hand, stood up, and wrapped him in her arms. His face was buried in her shoulder. She heard his soft gasp, sensed his hesitation, felt the moment he gave in and held onto her. Diana ran a hand in his hair, felt him relax slowly.

"I tried to kill someone," he whispered. "Do you still want me?"

Diana closed her eyes, remembered red on her hands, horror in her chest and hate in the eyes of a man supposed to protect her. She wondered if he remembered the 'stabbing her uncle' part of her summarized presentation, wondered if he had done some research too. She decided that right now, it didn't matter.

"Of course I do," she replied softly, and kissed the top of his head.

The rest of the afternoon was spent mostly on more serious affairs. Diana still had her project to work on and Bruce a few phone calls to make. It was a good distraction for both, though she was the first to admit she wasn't as focused as she could have been. Alfred prepared another splendid dinner and they didn't linger too long before going to bed. Just as Diana had finished changing, she felt her phone vibrating. Her father had sent her a message.

' _Your mother and I want to let you know that if he approaches you, he is as good as dead. We love you.'_

A weary smile grew on her face. She wondered what had been their reactions upon hearing the news; no doubt they had been caught off-guard as much as she had.

"Ready for the night?" Bruce asked casually, breaking her thoughts. Diana put her phone down and smiled. She had declined using a guest room again, not wanting to leave him alone –and more selfishly, not wanting to wake up alone. She slipped in the bed and snuggled against him. Bruce tensed slightly when her hand rested on his chest.

"I'm sorry; I don't think I'm in the mood for…"

Diana leant on her elbow and silenced him with a look.

"I know that, idiot," she said calmly and cuddled him. "I'm just holding you. Is that…" her voice turned hesitant. "Is that alright with you?"

Bruce remained quiet for a moment. Then he relaxed and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Yeah, yeah it's fine."

_Later that night…_

Bruce was awakened by a violent shoving. He nearly fell off the bed, held last minute at the covers to keep him stabilized. When he turned his head around, he remembered he was sleeping with Diana, and she was restlessly rolling around.

"No," she mumbled uneasily. "No please no."

A nightmare, he thought, and reached for the lamp on his night desk. Her face matched her tone; uneasy and darting around, as if she was looking for a way out of an invisible room. He reached out for her and brushed her face. At his touch, Diana flinched back and whimpered –this time in fear.

"I don't want to," she cried softly. "I don't want to play."

"Diana," he called, not too loudly in case she didn't wake up well. "Diana, wake up."

"No!" she said more strongly and began thrashing. "No you won't-"

Her hand seemed to reach for something and she gaped loudly. Her eyes opened wide, her body froze. She fixed a point in the far end of the room. Her hand was still extended, fingers twitching to grasp something that did not exist.

"Diana," he called gently. Her body was stiff and tensed, like she didn't dare move. "Diana, do you know where you are?"

Her arms slowly lowered to rest on her thigh. Her eyes never left the spot across the room. He tried again:

"Diana?"

"I'm alright." Her voice sounded off, her stare a mile away. Wherever she had gone, it wasn't a pretty place. "Just…give me a minute."

Her fingers were clenching the covers, shaking slightly. He waited until he saw her breathing at a more normal rate to speak again:

"Can I hold you?"

She nodded slowly. Bruce shifted closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. In echo to her own embrace, he brought her closer to his chest. Diana buried her head in his shirt. "Talk to me," he said.

"Does the name Zachary Lymps mean anything to you?"

He grimaced, remembering the broadcast he had watched earlier.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"He is the uncle I stabbed when I was twelve."

Bruce stiffened in realization. The CEO had been accused of abusing teenagers at the time. Not many had dared complain, most parents or teenagers had been handsomely paid for their silence. Only a few had dared testify and the reveal had made a huge scandal.

"I…he was trying to molest me. Actually, he had been molesting me for four years when he tried to push it a notch." She shivered, probably reliving the moment. He remained quiet, knowing she needed to speak the words. "When he touched me, I grabbed the knife and shoved it in his side. I didn't call an ambulance, though he might have been bleeding to death, that's why I ended up in juvie. I had the jury on my side, but Zeus' lawyers pushed for a sentence anyway." He felt her shudder again. "He was lucky my parents weren't around when it happened. Father and mother would have killed him and make it look like an accident. They may be divorced, but they will agree on some things and both have a penchant for bloodlust."

"I can't blame them," Bruce said. His own blood was boiling in anger, but he kept his cool for her sake. After the rather confrontational encounter with Dick and his own mini-breakdown, she didn't need the extra stress, or the coddling. "That doesn't encourage me to meet them," he added, almost as an afterthought. Diana chuckled and curled closer. Bruce held on and wondered how many people had been told this story. As if reading her thoughts, she replied:

"Donna and Jas only heard about it a few years back, when they started asking about our cousins. They were old enough to handle the news." She pursed her lips. "I haven't told anyone since then. Audrey has no idea and my other best friend Shayera –you will meet her eventually –sort of guessed. I had a hard time trusting a man ever since. Steve was…he didn't quite understand why I froze when we tried to…I mean, he knew but" She snorted. "He wasn't handling the news well."

"Yet you slept with me without knowing who I was."

She pulled back, stared at him and understood his unasked question.

"I don't know why, but I felt safe around you," she admitted.

Bruce smiled tightly and kissed her forehead. To think that the morning had started with a breakfast in bed and they were now holding each other like they were each other's life buoy. It seemed that both had emotional issues to deal with. They both laid back on the bed in silence. Diana slowly slipped back into dreamland, while he stood awake far longer. When he was sure she was fully asleep, he whispered:

"I'm glad we met Diana."

And then he fell asleep in turn to the sound of her steady breathing.

_Two days later…_

Diana slammed the door of her apartment after yet another long day. She dropped her bag on the floor, hung her coat and let herself fall on the couch gracelessly. She had forgotten her phone on the table and checked in case someone had called. Incidentally, she was surprised to see she had two texts, five missed calls and two voicemails. The texts were from Donna and Jason. Feeling something akin dread grow in her guts, she opened the first message.

' _Sososososososo sorry Di, I slipped about you having a new boyfriend to Jas and he told dad who told mom and Hippolyta, and please forgive me, I didn't meat to.'_

Diana facepalmed and breathed in deeply. Well, it had to happen someday. She skipped to Jason's message.

' _Your boyfriend is lucky I'm busy for the next three months or I would have dealt with him a lot earlier. Next time I'm in town, he and I are having a little chat about taking advantage of lonely girls.'_

She frowned and typed a quick: ' _Yeah, because you never flirt with lonely girls? I know all about Grail and Myrina, player.'_

If that didn't shut him up for the next five years…

' _Not the same. You are my sister.'_

She rolled her eyes and jumped to the missed calls. Bruce, asking if she was up for takeout tomorrow night. Predictably, her mother and father were also demanding answers. As she was listening to a spiel made of concern, anger and overprotectiveness, she received one last text from her stepmother.

' _Diana, it would be great if we could have a family lunch or dinner soon to your apartment, as we have yet to see it. You should invite your new boyfriend, so proper introductions could be made.'_

Diana grimaced; the few times they invited Steve, things would turn into a disaster. For all his charisma and charms, Steve hadn't been deemed a worthy match for her by her mother, her father and her brother. Unsurprisingly, Persephone and Donna had stuck by her side claiming she was old enough to make her own choices. After three explosive meetings, she had avoided bringing Steve for family gathering. Her parents always excelled at making people uncomfortably. Diana could only hope they would not set their talents on Bruce and if they did, that Bruce would be coolheaded enough not to take offence.


	6. Chapter 6

 

**What Starts in Vegas**

 

**5**

 

 

They had opted for a lunch another Saturday, two weeks after Diana had received her stepmother's friendly advice. Bruce had been available then and Diana had taken her day off to prepare the meal. In spite of Alfred's offer of managing the whole courses, his well-meaning proposal had been rebuked under the argument that she always cooked upon a family visit. Not to mention, the quality upgrade would be too flagrant to be natural.

She had just pulled the lasagna out of the oven that Bruce arrived at her front door, sent for some last-minute grocery shopping to keep him away from the kitchen. Diana had experimented first-hand the disaster he could be behind a stove.

"A little nervous?" she asked when he dropped the two bottles of soda he had been ordered to buy on the counter.

"I don't often get to meet the family," he admitted. His eyes never left her as she checked the temperature and decided to leave it in a closed oven to keep it warm. "Playboy, remember?"

"Until forced to tie the knot," she teased him and kissed his cheek affectionately. "It'll be fine, they don't bite."

Perhaps she would have liked to sound more convinced that she actually was.

"Not like you?" Bruce inquired in attempt to lighten the situation. Diana shoved him playfully. "What's the story again?"

"I told Donna exactly this: we met in Vegas, I was depressed, you were a good listener, things happened and here we are."

"There are huge omissions here," Bruce pointed out wryly. "But I'll run with it. Have you told anyone about the marriage?"

"No, not yet. Have you?"

"Aside from Alfred and Dick, no-one. I'm almost surprised the media haven't found out yet; I haven't shown up in parties since I've met you and I'm not the kind to decline invitations."

"You are taken now, that's what's happening," Diana replied bluntly, though with a little blush on her cheeks. Bruce grinned and kissed her softly at first, then a little less chastely.

"What time do your parents arrive?" he asked when they broke for air.

"Not till an extra hour." She grumbled. "I hate this part, where you have to wait forever."

"Agreed," he added with a wicked grin: "But I know a great way to spend it."

Diana should have expected it.

"You want sex again," she said bluntly. "This morning wasn't enough?"

"This morning was me saying hello. This, right here and right now, is for the sake of relaxing," Bruce pointed out and added with in hint of desire in his eyes: "Why don't we find out how many times I can make you climax in fifty minutes?"

Diana felt the familiar rush in her loins and the anticipation grow in her chest.

"Half an hour, no more," she negotiated, her hands reaching for the buttons of his pants. "In case they arrive fashionably early."

Bruce guided her back against the kitchen counter, mouth already devouring her neck.

"Deal," he growled in her ear and proceeded to made due to his word.

_An extra hour later..._

If Persephone were to be honest, she couldn't wait to meet Diana's new beau. While the girl had been born from her husband's previous marriage, and in spite of her own children, she loved the young woman as one of her own. Diana might have had stubbornness and temper issues in her childhood, but she had always remained, most of the time, an easygoing child. She had never resented her for marrying her father and always took her responsibility as the elder sister very seriously. In return, Persephone had tried her best to never make her feel neglected whenever it was Hades' turn to have her over for the weekend.

She was currently relegated to the backseat, her husband being the driver and Hippolyta on the passenger's side. Persephone didn't really mind; after all, they were Diana's parents and she didn't want to pick a bone over such a trivial matter.

"Bruce Wayne," Hippolyta muttered between clenched teeth. "Of all the idiots out there, it had to be Bruce Wayne."

While Diana usually had a good judgment with people, Persephone hoped she hadn't let Steve's deception lure her into the arms of a man who only wanted to toy with her. Bruce Wayne was the kind of man Diana wouldn't usually approach under normal circumstances.

"They say he is a good businessman," Hades commented absentmindedly. In his terms, that meant the younger man was a charmer and a manipulator. Persephone thought he spoke of personal experience.

"Businessmen are crooks," Hippolyta snapped and glanced at Hades. "No offense intended."

"None taken, my dear," Hades replied with a shrug. "People call me a crook without knowing I am a businessman."

"That's because you look like a stereotype villain," Persephone couldn't help but pip in. Her husband was a tall and broad man, and the long dark mane Diana had inherited gave him an impressive stature. "If you could just cut your hair-"

"My hair is perfectly fine the way it is!" he protested sharply.

"Of course darling," she said but was not deterred. The subject was a sensitive one, but someday, she thought, yes someday… "This is a rather good neighborhood," she pointed out instead.

"Clean and neat," Hippolyta agreed reluctantly. "There is a park nearby for runners."

"Jason mentioned people were polite here." Hades complied. "He helped Diana move out dressed like an expensive hobo and they still said hello."

"Jason doesn't dress like a hobo, he's following fashion," Persephone corrected, though she admitted the torn deims and shirt were not up to her taste either.

"I didn't dress like I picked my clothes from a dumpster at his age," her husband retorted.

"No, you dressed like you picked your clothes at a third rate thrift shop," Hippolyta countered, and before her ex-husband could do more than glare at her, she pointed at empty parking spot. "There. It's close to Diana's apartment."

Persephone watched the former couple growl at each other with quiet amusement. Though they were not close friends, she and Hippolyta got along nicely. They often teamed up against Hades for sports, though having known Hades most of her life, Hippolyta knew how to rile him up better. She remembered feeling slightly jealous at their bickering at first, but after her then boyfriend had assured her that he and his ex-wife would always be better off as frienemies than spouses, their relationship had gotten better.

"What number is it?" Hippolyta asked again.

"501, apartment 12," Persephone recited from memory. "I think it's that building."

A light beige façade with large windows and balconies, mostly hidden behind enormous trees. Diana lodged on the third floor, access with elevator and private swimming pool in the back of the building. The description Jason had done had been entrancing for sure. The three headed to the door, entered the access code Diana had sent them in advance. The inside was very stylish in a modern way, straight lines with a hint of décor on the walls, pretty patterns leading to the elevator, and the elevator itself was brown and marble themed. It moved seamlessly, arrived with a small 'ding' at the correct level, and the doors opened on another pretty corridor. Hippolyta stopped at the 12th apartment and rang. A few seconds later, Diana opened.

"Mother, father, Persephone," she said cheerfully and stepped aside to let them in. "You are right on time!"

Even Persephone had to give the overly grinning young woman a double take. Diana had always been opened and honest about her feelings, but never in such a…chirpy manner.

"Are you high, Diana?" Hippolyta inquired worriedly.

"No, not at all," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eye. Persephone suddenly had a very clear idea of what had put her in such a good mood and decided not to advise her parents, for both her sanity and Diana's boyfriend's safety. "Bruce!" she cried out. "Our guests are here!"

Ever since she had known who Diana was dating, Persephone had done her own side research. Bruce Wayne looked like a pampered rich man with the cocky grin of a charmer in nearly every magazine she put her hands on. The man who appeared in the corridor leading to what she assumed to be the living room looked far too normal to fit the profile. He was huge for men's standards; not as big as Hades –though she had never met another taller than her husband – broad-shouldered with dark hair and cerulean eyes. And when he smiled…Persephone couldn't help but nod approvingly. He gave a very different picture in real life than on the plastic covers, probably because he had donned a simple sweater –though certainly expensive –and  _was_  a handsome man for starters. If asked, Persephone would admit he sort of reminded her of a younger version of Hades.

_Like mother like daughter_ , she thought, amused, as she contemplated the parents' reaction.

Hades and Hippolyta positively scowled as Diana gave him a rather enthusiastic kiss –no matter how brief it was. Persephone gave him bonus points for not showing any hint of intimidation. Bruce led them to the living-room, a spacious place with soft creamy colors and wooden-like furniture. The main couch could hold at least four to five people, two others bordered them and all faced a huge TV fixed on the wall. In the back, a solid table seemed to dominate the other part of the room. The table had been set, and if she focused, Persephone could smell the fragrance of lasagna coming from the kitchen.

They all took a seat in the decidedly comfy couches and loomed over the peanuts and crackers on display. Hades helped himself with fancy orange stuff while Bruce served the drinks –nothing alcoholic for now, Persephone had told Diana as such.

"So Bruce -you don't mind me calling you Bruce, do you?" Hades attacked head front.

"As long as you don't mind me calling you Mr. Troy, Mr. Troy," Bruce shot back with a charming smile. Diana winced subtly, but Persephone thought she didn't appear surprised by the blunt answer.

"How exactly have you met my daughter?" Hades went on, unperturbed. "We were given the main lines, but not the specifics."

"I doubt you will want the exact recollection of the bachelor party I had been attending all afternoon," Bruce replied. "I saw a very attractive woman alone at the bar and decided to go for her."

"I don't think you are very interested in how the night of our meeting ended, father," Diana pointed out dryly. Hades shot her his ' _I didn't ask for your opinion'_  glare. Hippolyta came to the rescue of her ex-husband and addressed her daughter instead.

"But really Diana, with a complete stranger?"

"Las Vegas, mother," Diana rolled her eyes. "And I knew what I was doing. I just didn't expect it would last longer than one night."

Persephone caught the corner of Bruce's mouth twitch in amusement.

"One hell of a night, though, and an even more memorable morning," he added as if he couldn't help it, making Diana's cheek flush pink. Her parents scowled.

"And do you often pry on younger, lonely women?" Hippolyta asked coldly.

It was Diana's turn to glare. Bruce shrugged.

"I assure you, Miss Prince, I ensure every single woman I take to bed is a hundred percent willing. Diana was no exception."

Persephone wondered if he was provoking them on purpose.

"I made the first move, mother," Diana intervened almost defensively. "Stop prying on Bruce."

Hippolyta looked horrified; at her daughter's admission or defense of her lover.

"And is this relationship made to last?" Hades intervened in turn, watching Bruce's reaction like a hawk.

The couple exchanged an odd look, like an inside joke was in the making.

"I'm confident we are in this for the long haul," Bruce eventually said. "On my side, at least. I'm still working to convince Diana."

"Oh hush," she chided. "You know I've  _signed_  for the long haul."

The complicity between the two was touching and unforced. They genuinely enjoyed bantering shameless in front of her parents. Persephone found them adorable. And then, she realized something about his relative ease; Bruce wasn't trying to prove himself, he just didn't care what they thought of him. He wanted Diana, not necessarily her family. Steve Trevor had tried to integrate their circle but his smoothest efforts hadn't been enough. Bruce came from a complete different background; he was used to deal with people of a certain degree of importance who didn't like him and whom he didn't like either. He would be civil and friendly with them, but not overly so and certainly wouldn't try to win their approval with outstanding efforts. If anything, he might even end up shoving their smartness back into their faces with remarks of his own.

Persephone wasn't sure if that earned him a good or a bad spot in her book. At least, Diana had chosen someone who wouldn't let himself be easily intimidated. From their annoyed expression, Hades and Hippolyta must have come to the same conclusion; they wouldn't take the upper hand with their usual combo. She smiled inwardly, wondering if the idea that Diana's new boyfriend might be a match in the manipulation field ever crossed their mind; after all, one did not keep an international company on top of things by eating hors-d'oeuvres all day long.

Bruce having won the first round, Persephone carried on the conversation on safer subjects. As other matters were broached, she realized he was a very cultivated, intelligent man and though his directness was off-putting at times, he sounded open-minded and most importantly, genuinely smitten with Diana. At some point, the couple invited them to join the table and left for the kitchen to get the main course.

A small 'ting' hit the table as Persephone sat down. A blue pearl rolled beneath her plate.

"Darn," Persephone cursed as she undid her earring. "I thought it had been properly repaired."

The pearl in the middle had fallen off again. And to say she had bought them barely a week ago.

"That trinket you bought at the market?" her husband inquired. "It was cheap and not made to last long anyway. That's why I always tell you to go to the jewelry shop."

"They were pretty," Hippolyta conceded as she looked at the broken earring. "Do you if you can fix it?"

Persephone might have come from a wealthy family, but she had always been very practical.

"I'll ask for some glue," she declared and stood. "I'll be right back."

She rose from her seat, leaving the former spouse converse about their daughter's choice of boyfriend. Following the smell, she found the kitchen and stopped in the corner before entering. The lasagna had just been taken out of the oven but the couple seemed in no hurry to return. Bruce had Diana cornered against the counter, nuzzling her face with the tenderness of a true lover.

"So, is this a disaster?" he asked.

"I think it's going on well," Diana said sarcastically and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're doing great at pissing them off."

He hummed proudly and pressed his mouth to her jaw and down her neck. His hands travelled down her back hovered on her hips. Diana sighed and closed her eye in delight. When they resumed their kissing, Persephone looked away, her mouth stretched in a small smile. The two lovers were clearly happy with each other and she would gladly give them her approval once they returned. Hades and Hippolyta would eventually come around; she knew her husband would approve of a man with a smart mouth, and Hippolyta always welcomed someone who would stand their ground against her.

She cleared her throat to announce her arrival. The couple parted, though in no hurry, and stared at her.

"Do you happen to have strong glue?" she asked. "I'm afraid my earring lost the fight."

Diana smiled, knowing she had gained at least one supporter in her family.

"There should be some in the closest, next to the front door. First or second drawer."

Persephone nodded and left in to conclude her quest. Said closet was easily found, so she pulled the first drawer. Nothing in there resembled glue, but an official-looking paper glared at her with its full formality instead. She wouldn't have paid extra attention if she hadn't recognized the format of the front page. She was looking at divorce papers.

While Persephone wasn't the kind of woman to pry hard into people's lives, she was intrigued as to what this was doing in her step-daughter's drawer and picked it up. The more she read, the paler her skin grew.

"Persephone? Did you find-"

She jumped, startled by the arrival of her stepdaughter. Diana clamped her mouth shut and paled when she saw what she was holding.

"What is the meaning of this?" she blurted, holding out the contract under her nose. Her stepdaughter shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"I can explain-"

"Why is there a divorce contract between you and that man in your drawer?" Persephone went on. "For a marriage that had been apparently signed the day you met, and supervised by Elvis Presley of  _all_  people? Did he force your hand into this?"

Diana immediately protested:

"No, no it wasn't like that!"

"Then tell me what urged you to marry and jump in bed with a complete stranger when you were clearly not in your right mind-"

"Persephone-"

"And you claim you  _like_  him?" she went on, her voice rising a hitch higher with every word. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"You are what?"

Just when it couldn't get worse, Hippolyta and Hades arrived. No doubt they'd been wondering where she had disappeared and had been concerned about the rise of voices.

"They're married," Persephone blurted. "They have been married for nearly a month now."

"Married?" Hippolyta and Hades echoed in tune.

Bruce, of course, arrived at the same moment.

"Is something wrong?" he asked when he saw everyone gathered in circle and fuming. Then, he spotted the document Persephone was holding and glanced at Diana, and back at the parents. "Well, shit."

_Much later in the day…_

"I should have told them," Diana said quietly. "I should have told them everything before they came."

The situation had only degraded from there. The parents had taken serious offence at having being hidden some major parts of their adventure. Bruce and Diana had both defended their position while overly worried parents and stepmother argued in a shouting match about irresponsibility and stupidity. Bruce had opened his mouth in one most stinging response. Hippolyta had taken much offence and let him physically known. Diana had ended the whole debacle by forcefully demanding they return home to cool down.

"They are worried," he said and winced at his bruised cheek –Hippolyta had a very mean right hook. "I don't think they'll like me very much in the near future."

"I don't care Bruce. This involves you and me and no-one else. I slept with you. I agreed to this." She caressed his bruise carefully. "It's on me, not on them."

He caught her hand in his, stopped her stroking.

"Do you regret this?"

Diana leant forward and brushed his lips with hers.

"Never. Do you?"

He shook his head.

"Same here." He kissed her again. "I don't want you to be my dirty little secret, and I don't want to be yours either. I want us to be in the open. I want to tell my friends I found a girl whom I don't deserve, but worth stepping up for."

Diana wrapped her hand around his waist and snuggled against him in octopus mode again. They remained silent for a while, entangled together. And then, like a lightning bolt in the night, she declared:

"I think I am going to sign the divorce after all."


	7. Chapter 7

**What Starts in Vegas**

 

**7**

 

 

"What?" Bruce snapped.

"I should sign the divorce papers," Diana repeated, and no, he hadn't been dreaming.

"Why?" he rasped. "You just said you didn't regret this. Why do you want to divorce now?"

"It's the better option," she tried to reason. "You saw how people react when they find out –though quite abruptly, but still."

"So you want us to stop, just like that?" Bruce retorted.

"Of course not!" she protested, which made him feel better, but barely because he did not understand the point she was trying to make.

"Then explain," he growled. "I would love to hear your reasons why."

Diana gave him a steady glare and spoke dryly:

"If we are going to marry, and stay married, it won't be because of some drunken night in Las Vegas. You," and she pointed at him threateningly to emphasize her argument, "are going to propose properly, because you love me and I will say 'yes' because I love you and not because we're too lust-induced to think clearly, and we  _will_  get married surrounded by the people we love –and not a random stranger to be our witness, even if he's Elvis Presley. We will do this right, so that no-one can claim this whole affair was a mistake –and because I want it to be done right, and I think you want it done right too. Do you understand?"

Bruce felt so much relief he could have cried. He didn't think he could bear watching her walk out of his life at this point. His shoulders sagged and he pulled her to him in a crushing embrace.

"Thank god," he muttered before kissing her, and again and again, until they couldn't breathe properly and had to part for air. "I thought you…you wanted to break up."

Diana cupped his cheek, looking vaguely guilty.

"I considered it," she admitted. "I thought that we…I wasn't sure we would work out. Especially after Alfred and your son's reception, I wasn't sure I could handle not being accepted in your family."

He pushed the strand of her hair away from her face. Something shone bright in those big blue eyes that he hadn't quite noticed before; fear and hope and affection –and could he dare hope for more? She looked so vulnerable now he wanted to hold her and be her shield against the world.

"What changed your mind?"

"My family's reaction," she admitted. "If you could bear my parents' scorn, then I could bear yours too." Diana kissed his forehead, then the corner of his nose, then his cheek. "You are a good man; and it's as I told you before, I feel safe with you." She hesitantly caressed the side of his face. "I want to sign for the long haul. And I want it to be done for the world to see."

Bruce rolled her on her back, pinned her underneath him. He felt her tensed, confused, a little afraid too.

"Do you mean it?" he demanded, his words barely a whisper.

"Yes."

"Good," he said, bent forward and kissed her softly. When they parted, as their lips were still brushing, he whispered: "Sign those damn papers in the morning, and I will make you my wife –again –and this time because we will want to." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You better say 'yes'."

She teasingly patted his shoulder, couldn't contain the wide grin spreading on her face.

"That's the spirit."

And then he turned off the lights and no more words were needed.

_Two months later_

The papers had been signed and turned in, but Bruce hadn't proposed yet. He had assured her he did not intend to wait another year for them to be legal again, but he would play the game and wait until the proper moment to take action. He had taken her words quite seriously and in the meantime, wooed her like a proper boyfriend would. Diana was convinced that though he hadn't been quite receptive to the idea at first, it was still the right one. They had plunged into being husband and wife without knowing each other, tentatively tried to connect with various degrees of success and impose their situation on their families. Now that they were back to being just a couple without official ties, it felt…freeing.

Diana somehow appreciated his presence more, enjoyed taking the time to learn little things about him, to find out his tastes and preferences without feeling oppressed by a ring she never really wore. She liked the lack of pressure, though it made them just as committed to each other. Bruce was learning too at a slower and easier pace. He still dropped off from time to time during the week, and she often spent a day over at the manor during the weekend. With his go-ahead and her own savings, she quit her job at the museum to have a better balance between her studies and her man.

Her parents still called occasionally but never mentioned Bruce. Unlike with Steve, Diana did push the issue, very determined to make them understand that will it or not, he would be part of her life for the foreseeable future. Shayera had only met him once and after one glance, had tapped her shoulder and declared she approved. Apparently, the redhead's esteem of him had raised a notch when he had trusted her decision to sign the divorce, and  _'if that hunk was as good in bed as he looked, she better keep him'._

The only downside of their new status was, as it had always been, the lack of time actually spent together. Diana knew that it couldn't be helped; with Bruce's business in Gotham and her studies in New York, they could only afford a few nights a weeks. Bruce's incessant coming and going pleased her, as it showed how hard he was trying, but even she could tell he was growing tired of traveling all the time. No matter how many times he would assure her she was worth it, she still tried to figure out a solution.

It came soon before the second semester began. Diana returned to her apartment weighting the pros and cons of such a decision, and figured that she might want to talk to Bruce before jumping into action. Her own mind was pretty much made up, but she still had to convince him. Her boyfriend was already there when she returned, a warm meal ready –pre-prepared, courtesy of Alfred –and candles light on the table. They settled quietly, spoke of their respective day, and ate without much of a fuss. Then they settled on the couch and watched the news going on, her curled against his chest, him running a hand in her back.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you, but I wanted to think it over first," she suddenly spoke up. Bruce nodded, indicating he was listening. "One of the professors –Mr Jones, started a few exchange programs with Europe and opened new branches in other universities. He spoke to me about integrating one of them, told me that if I wanted to apply, he would support me wherever I wanted to go."

"That's great," Bruce said. His fingers absentmindedly traced the line of her shoulder, played with a lock of her hair. Diana was glad he sounded genuinely happy for her. "Did you have any place in mind?"

"I'm not sure yet. He gave the instructions yesterday afternoon. I was thinking about returning to Greece, or maybe Italy." Her voice trailed off. "Or maybe apply to Gotham."

Bruce stopped his caress, detangled from her to meet her eyes.

"Why Gotham?" he asked carefully.

"They have a great program there, I have been tempted to apply there before choosing New York." She replied softly. "Now my boyfriend lives there."

Bruce gave her a stern look.

"Don't do this for me."

"I'm doing this for us," she replied, turned on her side to face him. "You want us to work? I appreciate you dropping by occasionally, but it'll take more than that."

"Do you know what you'll have to face, if you come to Gotham?" he insisted. "New York is fine because I'm not that well-known here by the locals, but there? I can't even walk in the street without being recognized and accosted. The press will be a nightmare, they will dig into your past, they might interview your ex to find some dirt. And," he lowered his head in shame. "I didn't use to care about my reputation before I met you. I grew up with the press, they don't faze me anymore. But you-" he ran a finger over her cheek. "I don't want them to destroy you."

"They won't," Diana replied firmly and moved to straddle his hips. Then she leant forward to kiss him before pulling back just enough to make sure his eyes were on her. "I can handle the medias, if it comes to that. Audrey is used to them and I'd love to see them try to pick up a bone against my parents." She shot him a smirk: "My parents have their own dabbles with the press. Father loves to freak them out and over the years, they've known better to try to rub mother in the wrong way." She became more serious. "Moving in with you will show commitment and unless you've changed your mind, we are both committed, married or not. Staying apart will only encourage rumors that we won't last, it will encourage my family to try to separate us. I want to be with you in spite of what they think," she added softly. "But I don't like being at odds with them."

"Gotham is ugly," Bruce whispered. "But it has its beauty. I'm afraid you won't see it the way I do."

Diana flicked his nose with her fingers.

"How am I supposed to know, if I don't try?"

Bruce flipped her over and down the cushions, covered her with his body and stared at her pensively. She pulled his face down to hers and gave him another long searing kiss.

"I know it's a lot to take in," she whispered when they parted. "Why don't we pick things up tomorrow?"

As she trapped his waist in her legs, he found no objections. In truth, she wanted to see him more than every few night. She wanted to fall asleep listening to his breathing and wake up in his arms. She knew he wanted a family, knew she would be willing to start one with him. As he slowly undressed her and later invaded her body, as she arched to take him in deeper, she hoped he understood how much he meant to her. Their lovemaking became slow but intense, their moans echoed each other's; the couch creaked heavily at each thrust. She came first, crying his name. He let himself go soon after, muffling his grunts in her collarbone. When they fell asleep tangled together, Diana couldn't help but think things could only go better from now on.

**What Starts in Vegas**

The shift from her apartment to Wayne manor turned out to be smoother than she anticipated. Far from the first meeting, Alfred had accepted her presence as the future new mistress of the house and treated her with more respect that the early days. Bruce dropped her off nearly every morning to Gotham University, as he willingly made a small detour on his way to work, and things were settling quite nicely. All that was missing now was the alliance back on her finger. And thought she wouldn't admit it, Diana was growing a little angsty for it to happen. She felt ready to be his wife again, to push their relationship another notch but for real this time.

And after a while, she suspected Bruce was dragging the suspense just to get back at her. Then again, he had said he would propose within the year, so…

Diana sighed upon her latest project; a complete retelling of the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts, something her brother found hilarious. She had settled in the garden to take advantage of the sun, protected by a sunroom she suspected Bruce had built there just for her. After two hours of nonstop work, she decided a break would be welcomed and left her work to return to the manor. She used the kitchen door, knowing her boyfriend was going through an interview today. Though she had assured him she could handle the press, he still wanted her out of the flashlights.

But when she crossed the corridor and spotted him in the main hall, smiling at another woman, a pretty one at that, Diana felt a twinge of jealousy surfacing and beelined in their direction.

"Diana," Bruce welcomed her back with an even warmer smile and she felt her jealousy melt a bit. "Let me introduce you to an old friend of mine, Lois Lane. She's a journalist at the Daily Planet in Metropolis."

"So this is your new girl?" the journalist said, almost disdainful. "Isn't she a bit young for you?"

Diana's warm countenance immediately vanished. Were all of Bruce's acquaintances going to reject her without getting to know her first? She wondered if that was how Steve and Bruce felt when confronting her parents for the first time. She admitted it wasn't a nice feeling.

"And can't you care of your own business? Or are your journalist instincts begging for a new scandal already?"

"Lois please," Bruce intervened before either could go any further. "Di and I have been together for five months now."

The journalist shut her mouth and stared at him incredulously.

"Five months?" she repeated and glanced at Diana with a renewed interest. "That's a new score in the making. Your last record after the Selinagate was what, two days?"

"If you have something to say, say it bluntly, will you?" Diana retorted dryly.

"You are a little young for him," Lois pointed out, eyes narrowed. Diana glared back. "I knew kids liked the easy way out, but this is new heights."

"Lois-" Bruce tried to interject.

"Dating him has pros and cons, but he is honest about what he is," Diana retorted. "If you have nothing but insulting insinuations for me, I'll get some fresh air."

"Diana, wait-"

"Your friend here has no desire to be friendly and I have work to do," she snapped icily. "I'll see you later, Bruce."

She wasn't even out of the room when she heard Lois Lane hiss:

"Seriously Bruce, what a bit-"

"Lois, that's enough," her boyfriend interrupted sharply, clearly annoyed.

Diana didn't linger and returned to the garden. She shouldn't have left her working spot, she thought bitterly, and forced herself to focus on her current subject. But her conversation with Lois kept coming back in her mind, and kept her mind distracted.

"May I offer you some cake, Miss Prince?"

Too deep into her thoughts, she hadn't sensed Alfred arrive.

"Thank you," she said gratefully and picked the slice of cheesecake he had brought her. Alfred's food was always a comfort. Instead of leaving as he usually did, the butler picked a chair across her and sat down. Diana met his eyes, a fair kinder to her and understanding.

"Miss Lane has strong opinions on matters, but she is a good woman." He started. "She is also very overprotective of Master Wayne; I suggest you shouldn't take her defiance too personally. He is a rich man, after all and women have tried to…use him to their own end before."

Diana sighed.

"I will try to keep it in mind, thank you Alfred."

She knew that, of course. She understood their defiance towards her, understood that she had come a little out of nowhere and into his life and Bruce had grown very attached in very little time to make them suspicious. She also know Lois Lane was affianced to another man named Clark Kent, the one Bruce had attended the bachelor party to, and kept pushing the date because of their respective schedule. Did her bad mood reflected on

"Might I make an observation, Miss Prince?" she glanced at him and nodded, curious. "I have known Master Wayne since his birth. God knows how many dalliances he has cultivated over the years, and he has been serious about a few of them…but you are actually the first woman he tries hard to please, and the first that makes him effortlessly happy." She said nothing. "I would ask you to give him a chance."

_Someone had been talking about acceptance,_  she thought, remembering her conversation with Bruce the night she had spoken of signing the divorce.

"You know Alfred, when we met and I told him I didn't know him, one of the first things he said was that his father figure had made it his life's mission to have him married before his thirty-fifth anniversary," she said casually, but kept smiling to show she was just teasing him. "I do care for him, Alfred. He's a good man and so far, he has treated me right. I won't leave him because I can't get along with one of his friends. He has my family to deal with; I'd say he gets the bad side."

The older man nodded, though she spotted the satisfaction lingering in his eyes.

"Very well, Miss Prince," he rose from his seat. "Would you care for some Iced Mocha?"

Yeah, she really was getting in his esteem.

**What Starts in Vegas…**

During his interview, Bruce had finally announced he had found the woman of his dreams. Of course, Diana's name hadn't been divulged but Lois had still slipped in a few hints about her physical appearance and current occupation, something Bruce hadn't been very pleased about. Journalists had started to linger around the manor in the hopes of catching a glance of the woman who had stolen the most eligible bachelor of Gotham. Upon a common accord, they decided that their first 'outing' as a couple in Gotham should be on one of Bruce's most familiar turf, aka a charity gala. As he explained, given the nature of the event, people would hold their tongues in public and leave her in a very relative peace. Diana let Alfred choose her dress -if she had listened to Bruce's suggestions, she was pretty sure she would have showed up in trousers and wearing one big turtleneck sweater.

As it turned out, he settled for a deep burgundy cocktail dress with a modest neckline and the bottom falling down to her ankles, slit open on the left side to her lower thigh. The face Bruce shot her when she showed up was positively rewarding; he looked like he would rather lock her in the bedroom, tear her dress apart and have his way with her instead of going out. In his defense, Diana thought he looked quite fetching too in that tailored suit.

Still, they headed to the car, both feeling frustrated and eager for this token introduction to be over. But as soon as the car slowly approached the place the gala was held, and Diana felt the nervousness gain ground.

"Are you ready to go public?" Bruce asked. He didn't look perturbed at all. "If you get cold feet, I'll understand-"

"I've only been to a gala once, the day I met Audrey actually. I was serving as a waitress," she blurted. "Audrey was attacked, I helped defending her. We've been friends ever since. She calls me her  _bodyguard_." She stared at Bruce. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be on the other side yet, but I'll do it."

He stared at her wordlessly, made a decision and pushed the button communication to speak to the chauffeur:

"Alfred, do take us driving around the streets of Gotham. Diana and I will be fashionably late."

"Of course, sir," came Alfred's cool reply.

Diana opened her eyes wide, both relief and embarrassment taking over.

"I'll be fine," she assured him.

"No you're not." He kissed her temple, then her neck. "You need to relax a bit."

"Bruce," she started warningly. The annoyance turned into wariness when his hand slipped under the skirt of her dress and up her leg. "Bruce, what are you doing?"

"You need to relax," he repeated, but this time with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Lay back, I'll take care of it."

"You can't possibly mean-" she started and felt a rush to her cheeks when his hand slid higher up her inner thigh. "Bruce, Alfred is driving!"

Her boyfriend ignored her protests and knelt at the bottom of the seat.

"I assure you, this will help," he teased and at the same time, sounded particularly serious. "So either I am going down on you, or I will take you from behind –because these are the two most comfortable positions to have in this car without ruffling your dress too much. And don't worry about Alfred, the back is soundproofed."

He started stroking her –she hadn't worn panties because of the lines that would show on the dress –and Diana could only gasp and parted her legs wider in reflex. Bruce's smirk grew wider.

"Fine," she yielded to him and laid back on the seat. "Give it your worse."

After twenty minutes of moans and pleas and an eventual much needed orgasm -and an even much more needed handjob for Bruce- Diana was indeed a lot less tensed when it came to cross the threshold of the party gates. Pleasure still tingling in her limbs, she held the arm of a smirking Bruce Wayne as they walked together to the gala. Flashes of photographs nearly blinded her as they tried to catch Bruce's attention –and best profile. A few questions fused – _'Will you soon propose Mr. Wayne?' 'You're gorgeous sweetheart_ ' and ' _Look over here Bruce and miss –well, miss!_ ' –but they reached the front door unharmed. The host of the evening –a CEO named Cobblepot with a disputable reputation –welcomed them overly warmly, most likely pleased at the attention his charity event was getting due to her presence. Diana smiled stiffly –he had been her employer the night of her forceful introduction with Audrey, and she hadn't kept a fond memory of him afterwards –but obediently followed Bruce in the main room.

Said room was splendidly decorated with chandeliers and a large buffet with small hors-d'oeuvres. The furniture had been covered with a thin particle of white, making them reminiscent of snow. Guests 'ooh-ed' and 'aah-ed' as they took in the beautiful décor in awe. Even Diana had to admit the man, though creepy, had taste.

"Darling, you came!"

A flurry of blue and white fell upon them, and Diana braced herself for the first step of the evening.

"Diana darling!" Audrey exclaimed excitedly. "How good to see you! You came with Mr. Wayne? Good evening Mr. Wayne," she added belatedly, her megawatt smile already giving Diana a headache.

"Princess Audrey," Bruce greeted politely.

"Do you mind if I borrow my lovely bodyguard?" the blonde went on unabashed. "It has been so loooooong since I've last seen you, darling."

Bruce shot her a 'will you be alright?' look, to which she replied with a strained smile. He had his own matters to attend this evening and the last thing she wanted was to hinder him. Moreover, Audrey was used to attention and she knew her friend would look out for her…or she hoped so.

"Go work your magic," Diana said. "I'll be good."

Audrey grinned widely and pulled her away hastily. She felt his eyes on her till she vanished in the crowd, and he wasn't the only one. Most men stared; so did a few women, but they were mostly focused on her physique and when they realized who was standing next to her, they subtly lost interest. Audrey had her own reputation; which often ended with her face in the front page of trash magazines and the high socialites would not dare associate with her in front of the cameras at a charity event.

"Alright darling, I know I haven't been much on top of things lately, but you must tell me everything about this delicious piece of cake," she declared bluntly.

Diana found it a little ironic that while Audrey had technically been the first to know about Bruce, she was one of the lasts to meet him.

"It's not like there's much to say," she started.

"Well, well, well, isn't it little Di?"

Her body stiffened; cold dread slowly filled her veins. Diana didn't dare turn, didn't dare face the man who occasionally haunted her nightmares, couldn't move a single finger and for a brief moment, she was back behind the sink, hiding like a rabbit from the big bad wolf  _and he's going to catch you little Di, and he's going to catch and eat you_ -

"Diana?"

Audrey's worried voice called her back to the present. Of course, even the blonde partygirl would have noticed her shift of emotions. Diana remembered where she was, who she was with and that she wasn't a terrified twelve-year-old anymore. She breathed in deeply and turned around to face the man who had just greeted her.

"Hello, Uncle Zach."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here comes the end :)
> 
> I know, I probably shouldn't have stopped the story here, but remember, this was supposed to be a two-shot. I don't have much more to bring to this now ^^". Hope you'll enjoy the last chapter.

 

**What Starts in Vegas**

**8**

"Why won't you come and give me a hug," Zachary 'Zeus' Lymps said. He was smaller than in Diana's memories, perhaps because she had grown. Jail hadn't been kind on him –he looked thinner, harder, his smile hard like a shark waiting to bite. Diana didn't step away but her own stare sharpened.

"You touch me, you are as good as dead," she reminded him coldly.

Her father, her mother, even Persephone had sworn through the prison parlor. She had been there, she remembered that moment as if it had happened the previous day. And she had remembered the expression on her uncle's face, frightened and angered at the same time. She had thought then, ' _if he comes out, I am done for'_. With time, she had gotten over that feeling, or so she thought. Zeus's smirk vanished and for a brief moment, it was just him and her in the middle of the room. Audrey didn't matter, nothing else mattered but the fear and the anger mingling in her chest and threatening to choke her. He had no more power over her, she reminded herself, she wouldn't flinch if he moved forward…or at least, she prayed he wouldn't try for her to find out.

"I spent ten years in a cell because of you," he suddenly spat. "Just because you couldn't take a little affectionate touch."

"You abused a dozen preteens and tried to rape me," she reminded him. "Or was your hand in my underwear an accident?"

She didn't notice the horrified gasps and the deadly quiet around them. Zeus seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere and stepped back tersely. Even he knew better than to expose himself more in public that he already did.

"We will discuss this later," he hissed beneath his breath.

He tried to step back and hit a wall…of muscles. A dark-haired man stood behind him, towering him nearly threateningly in spite of his large goggles and slightly baffled expression. Diana had rarely seen a man as tall as her father or Bruce. This one could not only pass for her boyfriend's relative, but seemed to equal him in height. In spite of the situation, she heard Audrey mutter something about gorgeous people in Gotham and returning soon.

"Zachary Lymps?" the man said, slightly puzzled before his expression shifted into something sharp. "Mr. Cobblepot has interesting relations."

Her uncle stiffened and narrowed his eyes.

"And you are?"

"Clark Kent, Daily Planet."

The name rang a bell, and Diana remembered he was the one who had named Bruce best man for his marriage. Incidentally, the same man who had his bachelor party organized in Vegas when Audrey had dragged her there. Without him, she would have never met Bruce. She wondered if his presence here was a mere coincidence, or if her boyfriend had thought of bringing backup just in case.

Zeus merely snarled:

"Oswald is a valued friend who held out a hand to me in time of need when my family turned their back on me."

"Do you mean he leant you enough money to help for the two briberies you are being accused of?" Kent pushed his glasses higher. "The first for pushing to incarcerate one of your own victims and the second to arrange for more protection in jail? Even criminals resent pedophiles, Mr. Lymps. It mustn't have been easy."

Zeus seemed two inches away from throwing himself on Kent. Diana felt a hand gently squeeze hers. When her uncle noticed Bruce Wayne's presence behind his niece, he knew he had been beaten and, after a nasty glare, walked away. Kent and Bruce exchanged a glance, and the journalist left in turn. Bruce tugged at her hand and led her away. She didn't care that Audrey was calling her name in the back –she wanted out of the room, least she'd do something she would regret.

"I already wrote a check for the charity," he said, as if reading her thoughts. "We don't need to stay any further."

The crowd watched them leave in silence, whispering as they walked by. Cobblepot's smile was strained when he interrupted their exit.

"You are leaving already, Mr Wayne? The party has barely begun."

Diana thought he didn't appreciate that his main attraction was already leaving. Bruce snorted.

"I have more interesting things to do this evening. If you'll excuse me."

Diana glanced over her shoulder once more. In the far back of the room, Zeus was now being eyed and snubbed by most of the guests; others were valiantly ignoring him.

"I can take care of myself," she started.

"I know," he interrupted sharply. "But you don't have to. Let's go home." Bruce glanced over his shoulder in turn. "I'm not the murdering type but I'm not above maiming him if he keeps eyeing you the way he does, and I don't want to give your parents an excuse to turn into ones."

She followed him in silence, not overly eager to let Zeus think he was winning by leaving the premises.

"He's a smooth talked," she muttered. "He might turn the people's opinion if-"

"Clark will take care of it," he replied dismissively. "Zeus made a pass at Lois –his fiancée –during their last interview, he won't give him leeway."

"And did you ask him to come here?" Diana inquired, frowning. "Did you know Zeus would be here?"

"Cobblepot is a crook, but I didn't expect your uncle," Bruce assured her. "I actually wanted to introduce you to Clark outside of Lois' influence. It'll have to wait a little, I guess."

Diana snorted.

"She still doesn't like me, I take it?"

Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Remind me to tell you about the disaster that was Selina someday," he said and guided her to the car.

_Back to the manor…_

The return was done in silence, far from the nervous energy of the beginning. Diana kept her eyes out in the streets while Bruce was trying to find the words to soothe her, or just figure out what to do. Once they pushed the doors open, he decided to give it a try:

"Diana-" he started.

"I'm fine," she replied shortly.

"-I was going to ask if you wanted dinner. We didn't exactly eat yet."

She peeked at him sideways. She looked tried, thought not completely out of it.

"I'm not really hungry. I think I'm just going to head back to bed. You can eat if you want."

He shook his head. Seeing Diana upset kinda cut it for him too.

"Early night is good," he said. "I'll tell Alfred he can go to sleep."

Diana gave him a weak smile.

"Yeah…I'll text mother and father to let them know what happened. And I have to call Audrey to apologize."

He kissed her forehead and left to find his butler. When he returned to the bedroom, Diana was sitting on the side of the bed, looking stuck between bemused and annoyed, eyes on the screen of her phone.

"What happened?" he asked. She glanced at him with a wry smile.

"Your friend just published an article online: 'Pedophile Already Breaking Parole'. It has only been an hour."

"Clark is a complete boyscoutt, expect when he's angry. You're my girlfriend. He'll be angry on my behalf."

"That's nice," she said mildly. "Audrey called; she's inviting me again for another weekend in some fancy place." The corner of her lips twisted. "I told her no."

Bruce removed his jacket and threw it on the closest chair. He cupped Diana's cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"She better not do that again; you are taken now."

"That's what I told her." She sighed. "I'll call my parents tomorrow. I think I had enough for tonight."

She stood up and reached behind her back to undo the dress. Bruce made a mental note to burn it or to sell it to chase the memories that would certainly come along with it. He watched her slip into her nightgown and ready herself for nighttime.

"Are you sure you have no particular need?" he asked again.

Diana hesitated this time. Bruce took her hand between his and held them gently.

"Actually, yes."

His reply was immediate.

"Tell me."

"I need you Bruce," she said, her tone heavy wavering with a little insecurity. 

She curled against him, her mouth napping the bottom of his neck. Bruce put a firm hand over her hip. She was warm and soft as she always was, but her eyes were uncertain, almost fearful.

"Is it a good idea, Diana?" he asked. "Do you really want this?"

His question seemed to steel her resolve.

"I need you to make love to me."

He thought that would be the very last thing on her mind.

"You sure?"

"Please Bruce."

He pushed the stray strands of hair away from her face and looked into her eyes. They were wide but firm, not as upset as he had first expected. Her lips had parted, red and luscious and inviting and how could he resist her call? He kissed her slowly, appraising, testing, desperately wishing to know if he was doing the right thing. But when she kissed back, when she unbuttoned his shirt and divested him of his undershirt, Bruce thought she might be alright.

He carried her to bed, worshiped her body like he never had before and lavished her with the attention she deserved. She flipped him over, straddled his hips and sank onto him without hesitation. They moved slowly but intensely, their pleasure echoing loudly in the bedroom. When they were done, they cuddled together, her head on his shoulder, their legs intertwined and her arm thrown over his chest. Bruce breathed in her scent and relaxed at the thought that she was here with him, safe for now.

_The moment Bruce sat next to her at the bar, he knew she was special. Beauty was one thing; many girls could be beautiful without a brain, or pretentious or vindictive. This one though…this one irradiated warmth and kindness and something else that made his heart stirred. She didn't rebuke him and accepted his presence. He listened to her vent out her frustrations, her anger and troubles. She was pissed, for good reason, and he couldn't understand why anyone in their right mind would want to cheat on such a gorgeous woman. The drinks kept coming in and both loosened up a little. After nearly two hours of chatting, he asked if she was willing to follow him to his room. After a brief hesitation, she agreed._

_Bruce closed the door behind. Diana suddenly looked uncertain. He touched her face, caressed her cheek with his fingertips._

" _You alright?" he inquired softly._

_She gave him a nervous smile._

" _It's just…" her hands fiddled together. "I've never…you know." She shrugged and nodded towards the bed. "I never did it."_

" _You've never…" Bruce stared incredulously at her. "Not even with your former fiancé?"_

_Even more reason to anticipate the wedding night, he thought. That Steve Trevor should have snatched her the moment she said 'yes' instead of waiting nearly a year._

" _No," she admitted. "Does that bother you?"_

_Bruce frowned._

" _Not exactly," he said, and her face fell. "But Diana, are you sure?"_

_She steeled herself and tiptoed to reach his lips. Heat slammed into his loins. His hand still found its way under her top. He cupped her left breast fully through the fabric. Diana sighed in content when they parted and pressed herself against him. Her fingers were already working the edge of his buttoned shirt when he halted her once more:_

" _Diana, swear you want this. I am not taking advantage of you."_

_She blinked. A slow smile grew on her lips._

" _We're in Vegas, right?" He nodded. "Then let's get married. That way, you're sure I'll a hundred percent willing."_

_It made sense. Marriage meant commitment, and if she was committed to him, he could take her to bed without feeling guilty._

" _Good point," he replied. "I think there's a chapel over there."_

" _With Elvis?" she inquired, intrigued. "I've always wondered what the charm about getting married by Elvis was. Maybe I'll figure it out today."_

" _We can try Elvis," Bruce acknowledged. Now that she rose the point, he was a bit curious too. And he wasn't really pious to begin with anyway. "Let's see if they have Elvis, then we'll get married."_

" _And then get naughty," Diana teased with a gleam in her eye. He liked the way her brains worked. "Don't get me a weird ring, okay?"_

" _Deal."_

_The hotel did have an Elvis in reserve. Even if they hadn't, Bruce was sure a bill slipped in the right pocket would have bought them a decent impersonator. They jumped to a jewelry shop; he chose a plain-looking ring that seemed to satisfy her. They hastily returned to the hotel, hand in hand. Diana didn't see the need in changing her clothes –she was gorgeous in that dress anyway –and he already wore a suit. He still got her a small bouquet and a last-minute veil._

_It was a strange feeling, to promise to love someone and cherish that same person a full life, and to repeat such words from a dead singer. Diana seemed oddly solemn too, smiling shyly at him. When she said 'I do', something twisted in his guts and he thought '_ she's mine' _. It felt…oddly comforting._

_He carried her back to the hotel bedroom and for a brief moment, he regretted not being at Wayne Manor. But her soft kisses from her made him throw his concerns through the window._

" _Don't move," he ordered when he laid her on his –now their –bed, and promptly proceeded to explore her thoroughly. Her skin felt silk-like, she smelt like jasmine, and her reactions to his touch raw and genuine. When he ravished her, she whimpered and moaned and squirmed underneath him, unused to the sensations he was provoking. Bruce smirked against her skin. Diana was untouched by men; he would have her scream his name within the hour –and long after that._

_Far later, once they were done with their nighttime activities and he had reached his goal, he watched her sleep; pliant and soft and wearing a light satisfied smile on her face. Her skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, her hair spread on the pillow like a dark veil. She looked so young, so beautiful. Bruce reached for her, allowed his fingertips to brush her cheek. Diana didn't stir. He wondered, once again, what idiot would cheat on her? Who was that fiancé that obviously didn't deserve her?_

Do you deserve her? _A small voice in his mind inquired. His smile fell from his face as his eyes stopped on the wedding ring on her finger; very similar to the one on his own._   _He was married to her now. Married. To a woman he barely knew. The word spun in his head, over and over again. He was married. To Diana. Alfred would have a fit._

_Bruce sighed and settled next to her, too tired to overthink his situation. The woman shifted in her sleep, rolling on her side, facing him. He indulged himself in watching her peaceful expression, her long dark lashes, the pouty mouth slightly opened, listening to her slow breath. The sudden urge to feel her beneath him again nearly overtook him. He restrained himself, closed his eyes instead. They were married. He'd have all the time in the world to have his wicked ways with her._

He felt her hand starting to trace patterns over his skin, her breathing pattern take a more regular pace. Bruce felt an overwhelming sense of affection grow within him, and knew that he wanted that woman more than anything.

"Marry me," he blurted.

Diana stopped her lazy pattern-tracing.

"Marry me, because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He went on, his heart beating a miles an hour. "And I'm ready to do this right. Are you?"

In the darkness, he felt her shift and pull away. A second later, the lights were turned on. He winced slightly at the sudden brightness but the unease was soon forgotten when he saw the expression on her face.

"Say it again," she whispered, solemn and expecting. Her bare skin glowed in the dim light and her hair fell around her face like a dark aura. Bruce took her hand and kissed her palm reverently.

"Diana Prince, will you marry me?" he repeated.

The most brilliant, beautiful smile grew on her face. His heart skipped a beat and for a while, he could only stare and pray.

"Yes," she replied. "I will."


End file.
